Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all the witnesses for being here today.
Before I get into my lines of questioning, I would like to move the following motion:
The committee immediately undertake a five meeting review on the disproportionate impact the carbon tax has on low income individuals.
This has been circulated to committee members.
We know that the carbon tax is impacting vulnerable Canadians by raising the cost of basic goods like gas, home heating and groceries. The Liberal government has admitted that it's doubling down on their carbon tax plan, including quadrupling the carbon tax on Canadians. The temporary pause the Liberal government has announced for the carbon tax on home heating oil won't help 97% of Canadians. The committee needs to study how proceeding with the government's carbon tax policy adds costs to the lives of the most vulnerable.
This is relevant to this committee specifically, because the mandate of this committee talks about studies that this committee can do and should prioritize. In our mandate, it includes income security and disability issues. The carbon tax affects income security by raising the price of basic necessities. As well, the carbon tax increasing costs impacts the most vulnerable in our society, especially persons with disabilities. We heard a lot of testimony at this committee during the Canada Disability Benefit Act legislation, where persons with disabilities were finding it hard to pay for basic necessities. We even heard of people considering medical assistance in dying, MAID, because they couldn't afford to live. All of that testimony was actually before the most recent carbon tax increase that happened this summer.
I have moved this motion. I hope the committee will support it.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.