Not only are our seniors suffering financially. Our young families, single parents and all of our society are feeling the financial burden bestowed upon them by this Liberal government.
Our Conservative party has been asking the Trudeau Liberal government to halt planned tax hikes due to the rising cost-of -living. Let鈥檚 look at what is happening to our seniors. The Liberals say they are helping seniors by increasing their OAS by 10% for those aged 75+. With inflation rising, what about seniors aged 65 to 74? How will they cope with the drastic cost-of-living increases especially when the Liberals are willing to TRIPLE the carbon tax, making it more expensive to refuel, feed and heat homes. Seniors look forward to their retirement and now they worry about making ends meet when their savings are quickly disappearing as they try to keep up with inflation.聽
I have received many emails and phone calls from those on a fixed income not able to keep up with expenses. In fact, inflation levels are the highest since January 1983.
I have risen in the House questioning and taking part in debates about the difficulties our seniors are having with the rising cost-of-living. And the addition of a carbon tax only makes things worse for everyone. The NDP-Liberal government is raising not one tax hike, not two tax hikes, but three tax hikes in the next few months.
Our Conservative motion in the House of Commons was voted down. It read:聽
鈥淭hat, in the opinion of the House, given that the government鈥檚 tax increases on gas, home heating and, indirectly, groceries will fuel inflation, and that the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported the carbon tax costs 60% of households more than they get back, the government must eliminate its plan to triple the carbon tax.鈥�
What happened? The Liberals, NDP and Bloc all voted against our motion.聽
An Angus Reid Institute poll found that 88% of Canadians now say they鈥檝e had to cut back on spending in one form or another to deal with inflation. Nearly half of Canadians say they are worse off financially than they were a year ago.
Since the House returned in January of this year, I have put forward, along with my Conservative colleagues, our concerns about the difficulties our seniors are facing as they try to make ends meet.聽
We Conservatives will continue to press this Liberal government. Enough with the taxes. Don鈥檛 they realize that everyone in Canada is suffering financially?
Gerald Soroka,
Yellowhead MP
