I believe that my job as your next MP is to represent your views as residents of Calgary Signal Hill. You, members of this community, are founders and amongst the strongest supporters of the Conservative Party of Canada. I share your support and commitment to our Party, and you can count on me to take our issues, and our stories, to our Party’s leadership and to the House of Commons.
As I’ve been door knocking in our community, a number of issues have emerged that I think are amongst the most critical in our riding. My views on these issues, including our leader’s position and our Calgary Signal Hill context, are stated below. These are the perspectives that I plan to take to Ottawa.
AFFORDABILITY
We’ve all felt it – the price of everything has gone up dramatically. Inflation is rampant. While inflation is a global challenge, the Trudeau government has no plan to get the situation under control in Canada and is, indeed, making the problem worse. By continuing deficit spending, hiking payroll taxes, introducing and increasing the carbon tax, and approving escalator taxes that go up every year whether voted for or not, government is now taking 50 cents from every dollar we have earned. This can stop. This has to stop.
What Pierre Has Said
Pierre has been clear that the carbon tax will be immediately axed when Conservatives win the next election. This will provide immediate relief at the pumps, on our home energy bills and at the grocery store. Pierre has been clear that we need to stop the printing presses: we must return to levels of government spending that are reasonable and sustainable. Inflation can be defeated with sound fiscal policy (that thing that our current Prime Minister does not worry about!).
My View
My 2 children grew up in this riding and are now young adults. As they start to build their careers and their families, they are struggling to afford basic food, shelter and consumer goods. They are at risk of going backward in the standard of living they will realize from their hard work and effort due to inflation. This is morally wrong. It can be changed, and it must be changed.
HOUSING CRISIS
We are in the middle of a housing crisis in Canada. In addition to interest rates that are making houses unaffordable, the failure of our governments to plan for our growing population means a reduction in our standard of living due to skyrocketing shelter costs, feelings of hopelessness and anxiety about the future and homelessness for those priced out of their communities. Better governance could have avoided the present situation.
What Pierre Has Said
Pierre has a plan to increase the number of homes we have available in Canada by incenting municipal gatekeepers to get out of the way and approve housing construction. The core problem is the supply of housing, and building good, affordable homes not only addresses our supply problem but it provides good jobs in construction for hard working Canadians.
My View
My daughter and her partner are University graduates, have good jobs, and are fearful that they may never be able to own a home. That’s wrong. At the same time, common sense must prevail as we build more homes. While Calgary City Council imposes all kinds of red tape to make the simplest development applications, they also have a plan to rezone parts of Calgary Signal Hill to allow one traditional lot to accommodate as many as 8 homes. Our community associations have been working hard to fight the City’s attempts to push these changes through – and they will have a partner in doing so if I am our MP. We need more homes: we need to build them and build our communities.
RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Alberta produces some of the world’s most environmentally friendly and ethically extracted petroleum. It’s simply unconscionable that other parts of Canada import oil from other countries in the world when we have an ample supply right here at home. The Liberal government has imposed legislation like Bill C-48 and Bill C-69 which are designed to stop Alberta’s right to develop our resources. Bill C-69 has already been declared unconstitutional – but that won’t stop the Liberals! They intend to “amend” this unconstitutional legislation! Alberta should be leading Canada as we supply the world with clean energy!
What Pierre Has Said
Pierre has been clear that Bill C-69 will be repealed, and that he will be a staunch supporter of Alberta’s energy industry. After all, Pierre is from Calgary!
My View
As a lawyer, I have acted for, and worked with, many companies in the energy industry over the years. I understand the challenges that come with regulatory uncertainty – something that has been rampant during this Liberal government. I am committed to pushing for policies that allow us to responsibly develop and transport our resources – while still respecting the need to meaningfully consult those impacted. I believe in partnerships that benefit all, and there are many examples in our energy industry. Such partnerships are what happens when government gets out of the way!
RESPECT IN CONFEDERATION
For years, Alberta has punched far above its weight in Canada. We all know that Alberta’s net contribution to Canada far exceeds what our province has gotten back. As proud Canadians, we are here to support each other, and we are prepared to be a part of the whole. We do, however, expect our contributions to be acknowledged and our role in confederation respected. Lately it has been hard to find evidence of that acknowledgement and respect.
What Pierre Has Said
Pierre has made it clear that the federal government needs to stay out of areas of provincial jurisdiction. On the Alberta Pension Plan proposal, Pierre has said that while he encourages Alberta to remain in the CPP, he understands that we are just trying to get some of our own money back.
My View
For Canada to work, we have to work together and respect each other. As a representative from Calgary, an important part of my job will be to help those in Eastern Canada better understand that when Alberta does well, Canada does well. It is a long-term task, but it is one I am passionate about!