Thank you, Marty.
Chair, I want to move the following motion. It's one that I had put on notice last week. It states:
Given that:
a. Taxes on beer, wine and liquor will automatically increase on April 1, 2024;
b. This year's tax increase will be 4.7%—the amount equivalent to average inflation over the past year; and
c. Canadians and businesses cannot afford another tax increase;
The committee report to the House that it calls on the government to cancel its April 1, 2024, tax increase on beer, wine and liquor.
As we all know, inflation and interest rates are hurting Canadians' paycheques, pocketbooks and businesses. We see business insolvency rates going up. We know that this will hurt tourism and the hospitality industry, after they've already been significantly impacted by COVID.
This hike will also impact workers like taxi drivers, and areas like ride-sharing. Many of the people I talk to in different communities who are working in these industries have been impacted. There is less and less business, especially over the weekends, because fewer people are going out to restaurants and bars to spend money due to the increases in this excise tax.
On April 1 the tax on alcohol will go up. That's on top of the carbon tax hike and the payroll tax increases this January. We know that this Liberal government's out-of-control deficit spending caused 40-year highs in inflation, forcing the Bank of Canada to raise its interest rates, leaving Canadians with the highest cost of living ever. As a result of inflation, the government's automatic escalator on the alcohol excise tax will increase taxes on beer, wine and spirits by 4.7% on April 1 of this year, without any vote in Parliament.
We've heard from different stakeholders who are against this hike. They know how bad the impact will be on the industry and how much more expensive it will be for Canadians. These are stakeholders such as Beer Canada and the wine growers association.
Conservatives are calling on this government to cancel its April 1 tax increase on beer, wine and spirits. The Liberals have the opportunity to do the right thing right now for Canadians and businesses and support this motion.