MP Report: Canada’s affordability crisis

By Glen Motz on June 24, 2022.

Across our country, Canadians are being crushed under the financial weight of day-to-day living, with unprecedented costs for fuel, food and housing exceeding incomes. People across all economic classes are crying out for relief and there are solutions, if only the federal leadership would listen.

Since February, our Conservative Opposition has been presenting reasonable solutions to help Canadians who are hurting from the affordability crisis. When gas prices started to increase, we asked that the government suspend the GST on fuel and pushed for the cancellation of the April 1 carbon tax increase.

Removal of tariffs on pre-bought fertilizer was proposed, which would reduce agricultural producer costs, that in turn are handed down to consumers. We called for the government to immediately remove all federal COVID restrictions to enable the free flow of cross border goods, support the recovery of the tourism industry, and protect the jobs of federally regulated employees. We even urged for the curbing of speculation in the housing market. However, all solutions fell on deaf Liberal ears.

Why would the government not welcome reasonable solutions to address the inflation crisis impacting most Canadians? I would suggest, like a stubborn child bent on having their own way or a self-centred leader who believes only their ideas are of value, pettiness is the reason. These actions are in fact hurting Canadians.

Years of reckless government spending, money printing and unending debt has seen prices increase by 6.8 per cent compared to a year ago. This translates into an extra $2,000 per person for basic needs. Consumer relief is crucial at this point.

Yet, on June 7, a rational Conservative motion with a focus on inflationary relief was debated in the House of Commons. Unbelievably, the NDP/Liberal coalition voted against providing relief at the pumps, relief to farmers to support food security, doing anything to address the housing affordability crisis, and removing COVID restrictions.

Data released by Food Banks Canada, indicates that one-in-five (an estimated 7 million) Canadians are now reporting going hungry, with 23 per cent reporting that they are eating less “than they think they should” because they don’t have enough money for food. Food banks are stretched to the limits, revealing the current situation is the worst they have ever experienced in over four decades of reporting. This data alone demonstrates the complete incompetence of this government.

With housing costs doubling, young people are priced out of the market, struggling to afford rent, and abandoning the dream of homeownership. Conservatives will continue to advocate for measures that increase supply, combat foreign money laundering, improve mortgage policy, simplify the tax code and offer meaningful solutions of putting our families first, not speculators.

By defeating this Conservative motion aimed at helping hard working Canadians, the NDP/ Liberal coalition chose to further harm us, especially those who can least afford it.

Glen Motz is the MP for Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner

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