Thank you, Mr. Chair, but I believe that what is taking place in the B.C. election is very relevant to this debate today, because we're seeing how British Columbia has now shifted away from supporting the carbon tax. That is what this subamendment is about.
The leader of the federal NDP, prior to that by-election, stated that the Liberals have let people down and, “The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people.” Immediately after the by-election in Winnipeg, that leader had another change of heart and announced that he's going to continue to support the out of time Prime Minister, potentially just long enough to secure his own pension.
Mr. Chair, the carbon tax increases the cost of everything for everyone. Over the summer, I met with and heard from the good people of the Okanagan, of the Shuswap and from across B.C. They are hard-working and they love their country, but what I heard them say was that taxes are up, costs are up and crime is up, and they are saying that time is up.
At a grand opening of larger premises for a local food bank, we heard that one in five Canadians skipped or reduced the size of at least one meal because they can't afford groceries. One in five parents ate less so that their children or other family members could eat. In Vernon, where this announcement took place, one in 23 families relied on the food bank in the last 12 months, and one in 13 kids in Vernon depended on the food bank last year. Thirty per cent of food bank users in Vernon are children.
Many of those food bank users are hard-working middle-class families struggling to put food on the table. Some are already working two or more jobs. After nine years of this Liberal-NDP government, those people have no confidence in this government, and they want to see a carbon tax election.
I also heard from business owners over the summer, one of whom showed me his carbon tax bills. His farm operation paid $100,000—in carbon tax alone—in 2023, and all of that cost had to be passed on to the consumer or the taxpayer, who pays the carbon tax accumulated on every food item they buy. That farmer told me that under the current regime it was not worth running his full operation, so he laid off 55 employees and set 30 million dollars' worth of equipment into idle mode because he can't operate effectively and economically under the current carbon tax regime. Thus, by shutting down that food supply chain, he probably drove up consumer costs, adding to the overall debt because of unemployment and employment insurance costs and borrowing.
Mr. Chair, I've heard about many cases like this, and cases of seniors who received an announcement that their pension cheques would be increasing, only to find out that their GIS payments would be decreased by a larger amount, leaving them with less to buy groceries, to get to medical appointments or to heat their homes. Many of those who called were in tears. They didn't know if they were going to be forced out onto the streets because of the increased carbon tax costs and the rising costs of basic living. I hear from assistance workers who are having to seek mental health guidance because they've heard so many of these difficult-to-hear cases of seniors not being able to survive because of increased costs.
Mr. Chair, I could go on much more because of what's happened in British Columbia. You urged me not to bring the B.C. election into this, but it's the time of a B.C. election that has become very much a carbon tax election, as we've seen leader after leader speak out against the carbon tax.
Canadians have had enough of the carbon tax, and they want to get to a carbon tax election now. I would encourage all members of this committee to grasp the severity of the situation for Canadians and give them a chance immediately to participate in a carbon tax election.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.