Mr. Speaker, as another year draws to a close, it is time to take stock. Did Canadians get a government in Ottawa that matches their commitment to building a better community and a better country? The answer is a resounding no.
Instead of providing leadership on the issues that matter most to Canadians, the Conservatives just keep making life harder.
The Conservatives raised the retirement age to 67, making Canadians work two years longer to qualify for OAS. They gutted environmental regulations, putting our air, soil and water at risk. They cut employment insurance so the very people who paid for the system cannot get benefits when they need them most. They decimated the food safety system, allowing tainted beef to reach both our dinner tables and our children's lunch bags.
Alongside my NDP colleagues, I fought these reckless changes. We worked hard to hold the Conservatives to account for their cuts, secrecy and fiscal mismanagement. On behalf of the people of Hamilton Mountain, I will continue that work.
We must help Canadians build the country they deserve, a Canada where no one is left behind, and that is the country we will keep building together in the year ahead.