“Food, fuel, and housing cost too much after 10 years of this government. I will keep fighting to make life more affordable for Canadians.”

“Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that the numbers do not lie. If the government was doing a good job on affordability, I would be the first to say, “Hey, you guys are doing a great job.” Unfortunately, the numbers and constituents, if she were to talk to her constituents the way I am talking to my constituents, say we are living in an affordability crisis. The cost of food, groceries, fuel and housing is higher after a decade of Liberal governing. I am very proud to speak to my constituents and say that I will fight tooth and nail for more affordability in our communities, our province and our country.”

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“I want the government to remove all taxes, including the GST, from fuel this year. Life is too expensive right now, and this would save a family of four up to $1,200.”

“Mr. Speaker, this is about providing Canadians, at a time when we are in an affordability crisis, a measure of relief. It is not total relief, but it is a measure of relief. As my colleague would know, just one part of this is the GST. The GST is on the cost of fuel and on top of other taxes. Every time the cost of fuel increases, punishing Canadians, the government says, “We know this fuel increase is hurting Canadians, but what we’re going to do, rather than lend a helping hand, is take even more for ourselves.” That is exactly what is happening, and that is what we are calling for an end to: an end to the GST on this very expensive fuel for this year, to provide Canadians up to $1,200 for a family of four in savings, and an end to all taxes on fuel for this year.”

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“Young people in my area feel they can never afford a home. Gas prices and living costs are too high. I want to know what message the government has for these young people who are trying to get ahead.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have spoken at length, almost ad nauseam, with young adults in Essex. Basically, it has come to a point now where they are saying it is not even worth trying to save for a home. What I really found interesting was when the member talked about what we would say to the person at the gas pump. That really resonated with me. What is the message? What is the proper message? What do I send back to these young adults who are just trying to get ahead in Canada?”

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“Young people in my area cannot afford to buy homes or even pay for gas. The government must pass our motion to stop the fuel tax for this year.”

“Mr. Speaker, like my hon. colleague in his riding, in my riding we also hear from young people who have given up hope on the Canadian dream, which is to own their own home, to raise a family here in Canada, to have a good job, to be able to save up some money and, heaven forbid, to be able to fill their car with gas. What I would say is that help is on its way. Conservatives will keep fighting for affordability and fighting for those families. We are calling on the government today to adopt our motion to end the tax on fuel for this year.”

“I want the government to support our motion to remove federal taxes on gas and diesel and cancel the clean fuel standard. Life has become too expensive for Canadians, and higher fuel costs make groceries and everyday necessities cost even more.”

“Mr. Speaker, today we are talking about something in our country that should not even have to be debated: whether Canadians deserve a break. People in this country who wake up early, work hard, pay their taxes, raise their kids, care for loved ones, live on fixed incomes or navigate life with a disability do everything the way they are told, and they deserve a break. This is what our motion is about today. It is about cancelling the federal taxes on gas and diesel and scrapping the clean fuel standard that continues to drive up costs across this economy. Frankly, we all leave this place and talk to our friends, neighbours and constituents, and we hear it in conversations in our offices, in the grocery store lineups and at community events: the reality that life is unaffordable. A couple who both work full-time are wondering how they are going to afford a home. A senior is cutting back on visiting grandkids because the cost of filling the tank is getting to be a bit too much. A single parent is deciding which bill can wait another few days. It is the farmers, truckers, tradespeople and small business owners who are watching their budgets erode month after month while being overtaxed and stretched thinner every day. People are tired. They are doing everything they can, and it still feels like they are falling behind. They are why this motion matters so much. Over the past few years, Canadians have watched as the price of absolutely everything has gone up: groceries, utilities, rent, mortgage payments, insurance, transportation and everyday necessities. While the government will often talk about how it is saving Canadians money, and even the Prime Minister stood up and said that affordability has not been better in a decade, the reality is that Canadians are looking at their bank accounts and wondering how much more they can stretch. When we increase the cost of fuel, it increases the cost of everything. It is passed to the consumer. Every single thing Canadians buy becomes more expensive, and yet the government continues to insist that adding more costs somehow makes life more affordable. It does not even make sense. For many Canadians, gas prices are not just a number on a sign that they drive by. They shape almost every financial decision people make during the month. People feel it when it costs them more to fill the tank. That is money that no longer goes toward groceries, savings, bills or their kids’ activities. For families already stretched thin, there is zero room in the budget to absorb these increases. There are people planning errands around fuel usage, driving less to visit family and thinking twice before accepting extra shifts because of the commute. The impact ripples through our entire economy. Everyone pays more. One of the things I hear most often in my riding is that people no longer feel like hard work gets them ahead. This is devastating to hear in a country like Canada. We have young couples delaying having kids because they cannot afford a home. We have parents worried that their kids will never be able to get a start on their own or build a life for themselves. We have people working overtime, second jobs and side jobs and yet still relying on credit cards just to get by. More and more, we are hearing about households with dual incomes that are barely staying afloat because the cost of living has risen faster than the ability to keep up. I recently heard from Sayed in my riding who told me that rent, groceries and utilities have become nearly impossible to manage. They said they are under enormous stress to find safe and affordable housing while everyday expenses keep climbing faster and faster, and their income is not keeping pace. Also, Nathalie shared that they are already behind on rent and struggling to afford basics like food and phone bills at the same time, let alone this gas increase. They told me their bank account balance is at zero. They are beyond negative, and they cannot afford this price increase in gas, and they are terrified of losing their housing altogether. Adis, a father of five who lives in a two-bedroom apartment with his family, wants to move into a three-bedroom apartment, but the rental prices have become incredibly unaffordable, and year after year, the increases keep pushing them further and further behind. These are not one-off stories. We are hearing more and more of the same stories across our country from everyday Canadians. Even food insecurity is a national crisis. It is at record highs. There are families with children using food banks, and seniors using food banks. People who never imagined they would need help are now standing in line because they simply cannot keep up. Let us think about that. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, people with jobs are struggling to feed themselves. To be a bit nostalgic for a second, only 11 years ago we had the wealthiest middle class in the G7. Look at what has happened with the Liberal government. Those same people are now in food bank lineups. When fuel prices rise, grocery prices rise. Farmers need fuel to operate their equipment. Truckers need fuel to transport goods. Stores need fuel to supply their chains. These costs do not disappear. They get passed on to the consumer. People drive their kids from Kitchener to Cambridge for sports and activities, and that is putting a strain on families. People drive because they have to. Farmers drive because they have to. Parents drive their kids to school, sports and appointments because they have to. They are not the problem. When the government increases tax on fuel, Canadians see it at the checkout counter when they buy milk, bread, produce or even diapers. The most frustrating part is that Canadians say they are feeling completely ignored when they try to point out the unaffordability. Disabled people already live below the poverty line, which is a discussion for another day. How can the government keep punishing people financially? There is something so fundamentally unfair about asking Canadians to make it work when so many are already stretched to the breaking point. The government often talks about supposed rebates, but the majority of Canadians do not see them. All Canadians want is breathing room. They do not want handouts. They just want breathing room and to get ahead. They want to feel like they make responsible choices and can build a decent life for themselves and their families. That should not be too much to ask. Canadians do not feel that things are affordable. They feel stressed when they are walking down the grocery aisle or paying their bills. It is not enough for them to have to cut back on groceries or cancel excursions for their kids. They are still not making ends meet. This is not a choice they should even have to make. Canadians do not need more talking points. They need relief. This motion offers a very straightforward step toward that relief. The motion would cancel all federal taxes on gas and diesel, scrap the clean fuel standard and stop making everyday life more expensive. We should never become so disconnected from reality that we forget who we are here to serve. We are here to serve the people who sent us here: the people balancing budgets at the kitchen table, trying to keep their small business alive and skipping meals so their kids can eat first. We have the opportunity to show Canadians that someone is listening to them. Will the government support our motion and show Canadians that it is listening?”

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“The member's question was not true. We voted to get rid of the tax for everyday Canadians. We never got the chance to vote on ending the carbon tax, because it was just done without a vote. I want members to ask honest and accurate questions.”

“Mr. Speaker, I just want to address the misinformation in the member’s question. We voted in favour of eliminating the tax for everyday Canadians. There actually was no vote to eliminate the carbon tax. It was just done. We did not have the opportunity to vote on that. I would respectfully ask that if I am going to be asked a question, the question be honest, accurate and true for me to answer.”

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“Life is too expensive for people right now. Our plan will not fix everything, but it is a good start. What the Liberals are doing is not enough to actually help Canadians.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would thank my hon. colleague for the question, but I do not think there was one in there. Let me respond. I agree completely that affordability is an actual crisis right now. We are not saying that this measure is going to fix everything. We are saying that it is a start. It is something that can be done for Canadians to tell them that we are listening to them and that we know they are struggling. It is something we can do. I will also agree with the statement, though, that the current measure the Liberals have taken is only a half measure. It is not really going to do anything to significantly impact Canadians, their chequebooks and their pockets.”

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“The cost of groceries and gas is up. A year ago, the Prime Minister said we should judge him by grocery prices. How does he think he is doing?”

“Mr. Speaker, as my colleague and friend noted in her speech, the prices of groceries and many everyday essentials are up. There is an impact from gas taxes on that. Let me ask the question. A year ago in the election, the Prime Minister said that he should be judged on the price of groceries in the grocery aisle. It is now a year and a month later. How is he doing?”

“This is a cost to farmers, not income, and it raises prices for consumers. That is my only answer to the question.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is not a revenue for the farmers. It is a cost to the farmers that gets passed on to the consumer. Beyond that, I have no other response to the question.”