On Parliament Hill

One of the most common concerns my office hears about is the lack of access and poor quality of broadband internet and cell service infrastructure in parts of our riding.

In 2020 the internet and cell phones are not a luxury; they are quickly becoming necessities. As more and more commerce and government services go online, those who live in rural Canada are being left at a disadvantage.

Justin Trudeau’s record on infrastructure is abysmal.

In five years, the Liberals have failed to get money out the door and shovels in the ground.

Not surprisingly, given the Liberals’ many scandals, their Infrastructure Bank has been in the news more for executive bonuses and resignations than for job creating projects. The Auditor General is currently investigating their lack of transparency and accountability.

Provinces and municipalities – including right here in Provencher, continue to wait for federal funding for important projects.

Earlier this week, Justin Trudeau announced a $10 billion Canada Infrastructure Bank Growth Plan.

Once again, Justin Trudeau is making empty promises and leaving millions of Canadians behind.

Canadians don’t need more Liberal hashtags and photo-ops. They need an actual plan to build roads, bridges, railways and, of course, infrastructure for cell phones and broadband internet.

Moreover, this announcement was nothing new. This was just another Liberal re-announcement of money they had already promised and failed to provide to RMs.

Three years, $35 billion dollars, and zero projects completed. That is failure.

More Canadian tax-dollar funded infrastructure projects have been completed in communist China than in Canada.

At a time when Canadians are still being held hostage by COVID-19, when Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, when ninety percent of small businesses can’t access government programs, Justin Trudeau’s agenda is failing workers and businesses from coast to coast.

When I rose in the House on Tuesday, I had a very simple question for the Liberal Government:

“Mr. Speaker,

Three years. Thirty-five billion dollars. Zero projects completed. This the abysmal legacy of the Liberals’ Infrastructure Bank.

Another funding re-announcement from the Prime Minister is just as useless as the Bank has been.

My constituents need reliable broadband access. Improved trade corridors. Support for municipal infrastructure priorities.

When will the Liberals scrap the Infrastructure Bank and actually deliver results for Canadians?”

Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna’s bizarre answer focused on her pet soapbox – climate change – touting a Liberal record on infrastructure that may exist in her mind but bears little resemblance to reality.

Canadians deserve better.

Under the leadership of Erin O’Toole, a new Conservative government will build back stronger, by investing in all sectors of Canada’s economy, not just in regions that vote Liberal.

We will scrap Justin Trudeau’s $35-billion Infrastructure Bank which has been nothing but a waste of taxpayer dollars and bring forward a real plan that gets job-creating projects built.

We will make sure that those who Justin Trudeau has left behind can get ahead.