On Parliament Hill

Next week the first sitting of the 44th Parliament begins.

My Conservative colleagues and I are eager to get back to work, holding the Liberal Government to account.

To no one’s surprise, Mr. Trudeau unveiled a cabinet of extremists and activists. People whose top concern is the PM’s increasingly radical agenda, not what’s best for Canadian families.

There are many issues of concern, as Parliament resumes. Chief among them growing inflation – a direct result of the Liberal Government’s exploding deficit.

As my colleague Pierre Poilievre put it earlier this week, “with the biggest deficit to GDP ratio in the G20, Justin Trudeau has sent an extra $400 billion chasing fewer goods, pushing the cost of living up two and half times faster than wages in the last year.”

Canadians are feeling the pinch at the grocery store and the gas pump. The Liberals continue to blame COVID-19 but the reality is it is their own failed economic policies that have brought us here.

Another growing (and related) issue is that of supply chains.

US regulations requiring truckers entering the United States to be fully vaccinated starting in January could see a significant reduction in truckers.

According to industry insiders, the US already has a shortfall of some 80,000 truck drivers. Those inside the industry estimate a potential additional loss of up to 37% of drivers if this mandate goes ahead.

Given our proximity and the interconnected nature of our trade relationship, any loss of truckers on the US side will ultimately affect Canadians.

Likewise, I have heard from numerous Canadian trucking companies expressing identical concerns.

If no compromise can be reached, Canada stands to lose up to 20% of our trucking industry – or roughly 15,000 truckers.

Any loss of truckers will lead to more container ships sitting in harbor waiting to offload their goods, slower delivery times and less products available on store shelves. This scarcity will guarantee higher prices for consumers and add to the existing inflation.

This is economics 101: basic supply and demand, and the Liberals just don’t get it. They are more interested in imposing their own ideological agenda than in the wellbeing of Canadians.

Canada’s Conservatives understand the kitchen table issues facing Canadian families. We’re standing up for every-day Canadians and offering commonsense solutions to bring inflation under control.