Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think this motion is eminently reasonable. Seventy per cent of Canadians are opposed to the carbon tax. Seven out of 10 premiers have spoken about axing the tax and spiking the hike. Even in Manitoba, Premier Kinew, an NDP premier, has expressed misgivings about the carbon tax and wants to work on a made-in-Manitoba program.
I think it's very reasonable when you have premiers asking to come to a parliamentary committee—it should really be a no-brainer—particularly the finance committee where we consider things like taxes. We're just simply not doing our job—ignoring our responsibilities, in fact—if we don't allow these premiers to come here to speak.
Aside from that, this particular motion talks about convening a meeting with the premiers of Canada. Again, it's a very reasonable issue. Canadians are suffering under the constant increases in taxes that this government keeps bringing in, most recently on April 1, despite all of our strenuous efforts to ask the Prime Minister to not go forward with continually increasing taxes on Canadians at the very time they can least afford it. However, he continued to do it despite their will.
By the way, with respect to Premier Kinew, do you know the first thing Premier Kinew did after he was elected in October? He put a pause on the provincial gas tax of 14¢ per litre. If you go to Manitoba now, gas is 14¢ per litre cheaper. He did it because, like many other premiers—in fact, like many other world leaders—he understands that Canadians are having a hard time affording things right now.
I think it's incumbent on this committee to listen to the will of Canadians through their elected provincial representatives and to have a meeting of Canada's 14 first ministers in order to address this issue.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.