“The government is cutting $145 million and about 500 jobs from Parks Canada. It is also ending the search and rescue dog program in Banff. These cuts put public safety at risk and hurt recovery work in places like Jasper. The government needs to save money responsibly, not by cutting essential frontline services.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to follow up on a question I asked earlier in the year about the affordability crisis facing Canadians and the government’s costly decisions. When Canadians are working full-time but cannot afford a home, when families are struggling to pay for groceries and rent, and when people are forced to make impossible choices just to get by, Canadians deserve more than a government pointing to economic indicators and good news. They deserve responsible spending, meaningful actions and a government that understands the consequences of its decisions. As a chartered professional accountant for 26 years with tax experience, I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility. Budgets must balance priorities, spending must deliver results, and every dollar of taxpayer money must be treated with respect. Responsible budgeting is not simply about cutting costs. It is about understanding what we are losing when we make those cuts. What has been top of mind in recent days are the Liberals’ cuts to national parks. We learned late last week that Parks Canada is discontinuing its search and rescue dog program in Banff National Park, a program that has been essential for more than 55 years. The program has helped locate missing people, find avalanche victims, recover those lost in the mountains and support law enforcement locally. One of these dogs, Leroy, helped find more than 57 people during his career. These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are people who were brought home to their families because of the dedication and specialized skills of these dogs and their handlers. Banff and Jasper are among Canada’s most treasured national spaces. They attract visitors from across the country and around the world. As visitation grows, and demands on our parks increase, especially with the Canada strong pass, we should be strengthening the tools that help people be safe, not eliminating proven capabilities in the name of savings. This decision raises a serious question. What is the true cost of cutting a program that helps save lives? The concerns do not end there. Parks Canada is now undertaking another round of workforce adjustments. The agency expects to eliminate the equivalent of roughly 500 full-time positions as part of its federal spending reductions, totalling nearly $145 million over the next three years. These are the people who maintain trails and facilities, protect wildlife, support visitors, preserve our national heritage and help communities recover from disasters. In Jasper, where the community and the park continue to recover from the devastating 2024 wildfire, Parks Canada employees are still doing essential rebuilding work while facing uncertainty about their own futures. These are not positions that can be written off as cost savings measures. When experienced employees leave, specialized programs disappear. We are losing institutional knowledge, frontline capacity and the ability to respond effectively when emergencies happen. Canadians expect their government to find savings, eliminate waste and live within its means. Conservatives believe in that responsibility. However, cutting essential services and jeopardizing skilled careers is not good management. Affordability matters. Canadians need relief from the cost of living, and taxpayers deserve value for money, but affordability controls cannot become an excuse for decisions that put livelihoods at risk or compromise the safety—”

“Parks Canada wastes money on executive bonuses and catering, but cut the rescue dog program in Banff. Winter is coming and we need these dogs for avalanches. I want the government to bring the program back.”

“Mr. Speaker, I want to first say that this is all about decisions. We can look at a lot of the choices that are made with regard to Parks Canada. Last year, it gave $2 million worth of bonuses to executives and paid over $400,000 in catering. This is all about decisions. Meanwhile, the Canada strong pass reduced the amount of fees that were collected from those who were visiting, so that reduced the actual income. That is a choice that affects spending. Regarding the rescue dog program in Banff, when I first heard about this decision, I knew immediately that this was something that needed to be addressed right now, before we have deep snow and an increased risk of avalanches. We have received dozens of emails and calls already and have thousands of signatures on an e-petition that was only started yesterday. This is not a cost-saving measure. Will the government commit to reinstating the rescue dog program in Banff?”