Kevin Sorenson
MP - Battle River-Crowfoot
Congratulations to our successful municipal candidates in communities across Battle River-Crowfoot.
We extend our commendations to all the other candidates who ran for public office. Our democracy relies on strong debate over the issues during election campaigns and it is important to have folks willing to stand up for the issues they believe are important.
In Parliament, the Official Opposition is ensuring that the voices of small business owners and the middle class are being heard about the Liberals controversial plan to change the tax regime for small businesses. This Liberal government campaigned on “sharing the prosperity” of economic growth with “the middle class and those wanting to join it.” Their record however, has proven otherwise.
Specifically, Canadians have learned that the Finance Minister, the Hon. Bill Morneau controls a company that owns a villa in the south of France. Morneau failed to disclose this to the Ethics Commissioner for more than two years. Holding such an asset offers significant tax avoidance, the exact opposite of what this government indicated it wants to halt in its attack on small businesses.
This behavior is in complete contradiction to the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to the Minister of Finance after the last election that states:
“We have also committed to set a higher bar for openness and transparency in government. It is time to shine more light on government to ensure it remains focused on the people it serves…If we want Canadians to trust their government, we need a government that trusts Canadians.”
The Finance Minister has been anything but open and transparent. It is important to point out that our current Prime Minister was raised in very wealthy surroundings. He is not a person from the middle class. He has never faced the daily challenges of the average Canadian family and taxpayer so how can we trust him to understand what they are? He thinks it is perfectly fine to accept a vacation on the Aga Khan’s private island, and to charge taxpayers for child care.
Recently, we learned that the average Canadian family will pay $841 more per year in taxes under this Liberal government. The previous Conservative government’s tax credits that were implemented to help families have been cancelled by this government and the result is simply higher taxes. The numbers do not lie.
Yet the Liberals campaigned on helping the middle class and those wanting to join it. This line is repeated over and over again in hope that if Canadians hear it enough they will believe it. The reality is paycheques are shrinking and everyday family finances have only gotten worse under the Liberal Government.
I am certain that Canadians can see through this government’s pompous attitude and I trust that you will all continue to stand up to the unfair policies they are trying to impose. The voice of the grassroots cannot be ignored, as we have just witnessed in the Small Business tax matter.
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.