Sukhman Gill

“Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise this evening on behalf of Oshawa to speak to Bill C-38, which is legislation that would extend temporary relief from federal fuel taxes at a time when Canadians are struggling to afford the basic necessities of life. Earlier today, the Liberal government voted against our Conservative motion to recognize two simple things: The Liberals have been in government for 11 years, and Canada is in an affordability crisis. Every opposition party voted in favour of acknowledging what Canadians are actually experiencing every day, yet the Liberals said, “No, that’s not the case.” Everyone knows that the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is one, and the government cannot even bring itself to acknowledge the affordability crisis facing Canadian families. What makes today’s earlier vote particularly remarkable is that tonight we are now debating legislation introduced by the very same government to extend temporary relief from federal fuel taxes, because Canadians cannot afford higher costs. The reality is that the government knows Canadians are struggling, and after months of persistent Conservative pressure, the Liberals have finally been forced to back down from their planned increase of fuel taxes. I represent Oshawa, which I like to mention as often as I can, because we are a hard-working city built by generations of auto workers, manufacturers, small business owners and families who have contributed so much to Canada’s greater economy. These are Canadians who work hard and pay their taxes, and they expect that their paycheques will be enough to provide for themselves and their families. Yet, increasingly, they are finding that no matter how hard they work, they simply cannot afford life. When the price of gasoline rises, those families in Oshawa do not suddenly have the option of driving less. They need to get to work, pick up their children and purchase groceries, except now they are paying more to do those very same things. The impact of higher fuel costs does not stop, of course, at the gas pump. It is common sense that when it costs more to transport food, deliver goods, construct homes and operate businesses, those additional expenses are ultimately passed on to consumers. Families end up paying more at the grocery store, more for household essentials and more for services they rely on every day. Even the Liberals’ own legislation acknowledges that trucking, agriculture, housing, construction and delivery sectors benefit from fuel tax relief, which raises an important question. If the government now recognizes that lower fuel taxes help make life more affordable, why has it taken months and months of Conservative pressure to get it to act, and that is if we can even call it action? Conservatives care, yet Liberals cause inflation and an affordability crisis, then throw out breadcrumbs of half measures and gaslight Canadians by saying things like “Affordability is the best it has been in...a decade.” We remember when the Prime Minister said that. In Oshawa, we understand how important affordable fuel and transportation are to our local economy. Our community is home to General Motors Canada, automotive suppliers, skilled tradespeople and thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on a strong manufacturing sector. Whether it is an auto worker going to the plant for his shift or a tradesperson travelling between job sites across the Durham region, a small business owner making deliveries or a truck driver transporting goods across Highway 401, these Canadians rely on affordable fuel to earn a living and support their families. For small business owners already struggling with rising operating expenses, higher fuel costs mean less money to invest in their businesses, hire employees or keep prices affordable for customers. For working families, it means even more of their hard-earned money disappearing before they have paid their rent, purchased groceries or covered their monthly bills. The figures are clear. They show that gasoline prices have increased by 25.7%, while overall energy costs have risen by 16.6%, contributing to higher transportation costs and adding further pressure to household budgets. However, Canadians do not need to see those very detailed statistics to understand the consequences of rising costs because they see them every single day in their own communities. We all can. I recently spoke about the extraordinary work being done by Simcoe Hall Settlement House in Oshawa, where Tiffany Kift shared with me the heartbreaking reality facing vulnerable families in our community. Simcoe Hall is now serving more than 3,600 people every month and has been forced to limit food bank visits to 70 households per day. Because the organization simply does not have the resources to help everyone, it is forced to turn people away every single day. Among those seeking assistance are seniors, young adults, parents and even families with two incomes who cannot afford to put food on the table. One senior, Sue, is 83 and is still working part-time to help supplement her fixed income. She told me last week that she walks down the aisle like she did in war times. It reminds her of that. She looks at the meat, checking every price, and says, “Oh, I can’t do that. No, I can’t buy that. I can’t even afford pork chops. I guess we won’t have any meat this week.” While demand for food assistance continues to grow, donations are declining at Simcoe Hall. It is down approximately 33% in financial donations, and community food drives are also bringing in only a third of what it would normally expect. When more Canadians need help while fewer Canadians can afford to give, we have a serious affordability problem, regardless of whether the Liberals are willing to acknowledge it. Honestly, I do not know how they live with themselves. This brings me back to Bill C-38. The legislation would extend the temporary suspension of federal fuel excise taxes until January 31, 2027, before restoring those taxes at half the regular rates for February and March. Conservatives obviously welcome any measure that helps Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money. That is the clear distinction. We support a measure that helps Canadians keep more of their hard-earned money, and we are proud that the persistent pressure from the Conservatives helped force the Liberal government to delay its planned fuel tax increase. However, a temporary extension is not enough. The government is effectively telling Canadians that they can have some relief today, but they should prepare to pay more again in the coming months. What exactly does the government expect to change between now and February? Will groceries suddenly become affordable? Will families in Oshawa suddenly have hundreds of extra dollars left over at the end of every month? Will small businesses no longer be struggling with the cost of keeping their doors open? Of course not, and that is precisely why Conservatives have called for more meaningful and lasting relief. Our Conservative economic action plan calls on the government to remove all federal taxes on gasoline and diesel at least until Canada Day 2027. That is not only the federal excise tax, but also the GST on fuel and the costs associated with the clean fuel regulations, all while permanently cancelling the industrial carbon tax. Together, these measures would save Canadians 25¢ per litre at the pump and provide as much as $1,000 in savings for the average family. They get to keep more money in their pockets. Obviously, we support a measure where Canadians can keep their money, not where we take it first and then give them a pittance back. Canadians should not have to depend on food banks, government rebates or temporary tax relief simply to afford the basic necessities of life. They should be able to work hard, earn a decent living and support their families. The Liberals today said that we are not in an affordability crisis. They would not admit it; there is nothing to see here. That sounds like every narcissist I have ever known gaslighting. Conservatives will continue to fight for lower taxes, more affordable fuel and food, good-paying Canadian jobs and an economy where hard-working families can get ahead. We welcome the relief contained in Bill C-38, but Canadians deserve more than another temporary Liberal half measure. They deserve meaningful, lasting relief that makes a real difference in their everyday lives. A government that refuses to admit there is an affordability crisis, as the government did today, cannot be trusted to solve it.”