“I will not support raising taxes on the people in my riding. We need sensible solutions instead so future generations have good opportunities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the hon. member. I do have to smile a little, because at the end of the day, I cannot go back in good faith to the residents of Essex, look them in the eye and say that we are actually putting more taxes on them because it is the right thing to do. I cannot do that. None of us can do that. What we need to do is come up with common-sense solutions, such as the very one being proposed today, to ensure that future generations have the same opportunity going forward as each and every one of us to hopefully leave the world a better place than we found it. That is our job, that is why we are here and that is why we bring up these very strong suggestions.”

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“The Liberal government is not telling the truth. Their school food program leaves out 5.4 million children. Two parents working at minimum wage do not even qualify for their grocery rebate. They also spent years claiming the carbon tax did not raise prices.”

“Mr. Speaker, Tolstoy said, “Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” Let us wash away everything that is not gold from the member’s speech and look at the truth. Well, that is right, we washed away, and there is nothing. We have sat and listened to a master class of 20 minutes of disinformation from the Liberal government. I will be upfront here. We tease back and forth with the member for Winnipeg North all the time, and I quite enjoy jousting with him, quite good-naturedly. However, I have to say I am disappointed by some of his terms in accusing us of being far right. I will comment on a few of his claims. The member goes on at length about the school food program for 400,000 children. However, there are 5.4 million children who are not covered by it. On the grocery rebate, when we actually include two working parents at minimum wage, they do not qualify. The government spent years claiming that the carbon tax was not inflationary. Why does the member now, after so many times saying the gas tax was not inflationary—”

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“Gas prices are high and rising in my riding. Seniors tell me they cannot afford to live, and high gas prices force them to choose between going to appointments or buying food. Did the member hear similar stories in his riding?”

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate some of the claims of facts. I can assure the member that when I was in my riding, gas was more like $1.83 and rising. It was fluctuating, but rising. Over this last two-week period back in our ridings, a number of seniors came up to me and said, “I can’t keep doing this. I thought I did everything right; I worked hard, raised my family and gave to my community. Now I can’t afford to live. Gas prices are making me choose between whether I go to an appointment or put food in my fridge.” Did the member have any experiences like that in his riding?”