“So you want tax cuts? The budget officer says those help the rich most. And oil companies will just take the money and charge the same prices anyway. What do you say to that?”
What they said. What they meant.
Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.
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A Conservative motion to remove federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year. The Conservatives argued this would provide immediate relief to Canadians struggling with high fuel prices. The Liberals argued their previous excise tax reduction already addressed the issue, and that broad tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Much of the debate consisted of partisan sniping between the Liberals and Conservatives.
“The Conservative plan to lower fuel taxes won't work. We already tried that and oil companies ate up the difference. I don't want taxpayers to lose even more money.”
“I like that you spoke nice French. Back to the point. Our government paused a gas tax to lower prices. But companies soon charged more money and ate up the savings. The tax cut did not help. It just grew our deficit instead. What do you think of that?”
“So the Liberals suspended an unfair gas tax that helps the rich. Why? Didn't that make our gas tax motion okay? They already did what they're attacking us for suggesting.”
“Oil companies got $10 billion in subsidies last year. The government is suspending environmental laws for them. Oil prices are high and companies are making record profits. I think the government's approach to oil companies is wrong.”