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Sorenson: Thank you to our local businesses

MP Kevin Sorenson speaks to proposed changes to federal tax incentives
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Kevin Sorenson

MP Battle River-Crowfoot

Our thoughts and prayers and are with the victims of the recent violent attack in Edmonton. We thank our courageous first responders, especially the officer injured in the attack, and all those involved in stopping the suspect.

We stand with the people of Edmonton and the Edmonton City Police. As well, we are all shocked at the mass-murder shooting tragedy in Las Vegas. These two events occurring so closely together should serve to reinforce our determination to continue to work to stop these kinds of violent acts.

In Parliament, I have been voicing opposition to the tax hikes on small businesses in Canada proposed by the Liberal government. I thank the owners of small- and medium-sized businesses, including their family members and employees for taking action and sharing with me your personal experience and concern over this attack by the cash-starved and indebted Liberal government and multi-millionaires Prime Minister Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau. I am pleased to report that I have heard from virtually all sectors of our local economy in Battle River-Crowfoot. Hopefully, pressure from enough Canadians will cause the Liberals to drop their draconian tax measures that will only hurt Canada’s economy and our local small businesses.

The job of the Official Opposition is to provide critical analysis and recommendations to the government’s implementation of their policy. Numerous times, I have spoken out against the Liberals’ tax policy in the House of Commons in this Session. Yet, two speeches I delivered so far ‎support the government’s proposed legislation. Bill C-21 amends Canada’s Customs Act building on work from the previous Conservative government. It acknowledges that abuses occur of the privileges our exporters enjoy and takes measures to beef-up the inspection of exports from our nation‎. This further strengthens Canada’s credentials as an exporting nation.

Bill S-2 is the Liberal government’s re-introduction of motor vehicle safety measures not passed in the previous Parliament. ‎It will provide the Transport Minister the ability to force automobile manufacturers to issue recall notices, repair new vehicles that have problems, and more. I spoke in support of Bill S-2.

I spoke numerous times during the debate on Tuesday, Oct. 3 when we dedicated our Opposition Day to debating the following motion: “That, given the proposed changes to the taxation of private corporations as outlined in the Minister of Finance’s paper Tax Planning Using Private Corporations will have a drastic negative impact on small and medium sized local businesses, the House call on the government to continue, until Jan. 31, 2018, its consultations on these measures.” The Liberals used their majority to vote down our motion.

The Conservative Party will continue to use every Parliamentary procedure and rule to keep political pressure on the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to back down from their tax proposals. It is important for Canadians to continue to speak out in defense of our small- and medium-sized businesses in every community in our country.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or previous columns you may write me at 4945-50th Street, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, toll-free 1-800-665-4358, fax 780-608-4603 or e-mail Kevin.Sorenson.c1@parl.gc.ca.