Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.
I am honoured to represent the people of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke. I participate in this debate to share their concern about the deteriorating state of the finances of the Canadian government and what that means to average middle-class Canadian families who bear the brunt of bad spending.
Everyone knows that today's deficit budgets are tomorrow's tax increases. Borrowing money to pay for borrowed time only works for so long, as the disgraced Premier of Ontario is about to find out when she faces the Ford nation.
I take this time before I continue to thank the members of the Conservative Party of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke for their overwhelming vote of confidence in once again confirming that I will be our party's candidate in the next federal election, an election that cannot come soon enough for the overburdened taxpayers of our country.
The democratic nomination process in my riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, which coincided with the delivery of the disastrous federal budget, attracted individuals who previously had been identified as supporting the Liberal Party. This is a reflection of how badly they want to see the government defeated. It speaks volumes that former prominent Liberals publicly supported my nomination as the Conservative Party candidate for the next election.
That anti-Liberal sentiment includes the Liberal candidate, a veteran, who ran against me in the 2015 election. He condemns the Liberal Party on social media for using him as a party prop in a picture during the election, with no intention of honouring any promises made to veterans for their votes. It looks like the Prime Minister's party will be looking for a new candidate. Here is what the former candidate had to say. “Three years ago, I decided to seek the nomination for the federal Liberal candidacy in Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke. My only goal was to play a role in assuring that no other brave Canadian would be penalized at home due to their service. I was inspired by promises to fix things. I was inspired by the presence of other veterans lining up to win nominations for the Liberals. I legitimately felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. I believed them. I now realize that I was wrong. The Prime Minister recently stated that Canadian veterans want more than Canada can give. I stood on a stage behind the Prime Minister in August of 2015 when he made a promise to veterans, a promise which was obviously, in retrospect, a political bargaining chip. I have first-hand experience as a service member, stakeholder, and party member with respect to the way our military is regarded and treated. At some of the highest levels, I have personally witnessed the way in which our injured and ill are regarded with skepticism, suspicion, and cynicism by members of the governing party. It needs to end now.”
The budget is a huge disappointment, not only to veterans but to currently serving members of Canada's armed forces and their families. Canada has returned to the days known as the “decade of darkness” that passed for Canadian defence policy. The policy decision by the last Liberal government to interfere in the equipment procurement process, with the decision to cancel the EH-101 helicopter contract, cost the lives of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. This marked the beginning of the decade of darkness for serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. A similar political decision to buy used junk from the Australians is one that most reasonable Canadians know can only end as badly. That decision marks the return of darkness for our military members.
To get an idea of how poorly the budgetary policy of the government treats men and women in uniform, I draw attention to a new tax measure that targets military families. On average, about 15,500 members of the Canadian Armed Forces and 2,200 members of the RCMP, along with their families, have been authorized each year to receive relocation services. To quote the government's own propaganda, it says, military families are “the strength behind the uniform”. Family members of Canadian Armed Forces personnel share in the stresses and strains resulting in the deployment of their loved ones into dangerous operational duty, and the prolonged separations that they entail. They also make important sacrifices and face challenges associated with frequent relocation, such as finding new family health care providers, re-establishing day care, moving children between schools and education systems, professional licensing, and dealing with inconveniences such as changing driver's licences and vehicle licences when moving between provinces. They must also deal with the financial instability resulting from frequent moves, whether it be the loss of employment, different tax systems, or changes to the post living differential.
Members in uniform are only now finding out, or they will get a rude surprise in the mail come tax time, that effective December 1, 2017, the posting allowance will now be taxable. Members will no longer be able to roll the posting allowance into RRSPs or buy down their mortgage. This announcement is the Minister of Finance's and the Minister of Defence's idea of a comprehensive military family plan.
The posting allowance was incorporated into the integrated relocation program, or IRP, as a non-taxable posting benefit, as a result of a recommendation from the standing committee on national defence and veterans affairs, which was made in their report, “Moving Forward: a strategic plan for quality of life improvements”. I remember when this change was made and came into effect. I was a newly elected member of Parliament and a new member of the defence committee. At that time, there was all-party agreement for this change. I was pleased to support replacing the posting allowance that existed at that time with a non-taxable posting benefit to adequately compensate all personnel for the disruption caused by new postings.
As the member of Parliament whose riding includes Garrison Petawawa, the largest army base in Canada, I am too familiar with the financial stress on military families when a soldier is posted. When members of the Canadian Armed Forces have found out about this new liberal policy to tax posting allowances, the reaction goes from disbelief to outrage.
The Auditor General has clearly outlined the growing gap between the total number of regular force members who are needed, including the under-representation of women, and the inability of this government to recruit, train, and keep Canadians in uniform to fill that gap. Why is the Prime Minister so insensitive to military families? Why has the Prime Minister refused to consider this anti-family policy as a barrier to recruitment, retention, and gender equality? Most importantly, why has the Minister of Defence done nothing to protect those he has served alongside?
It is hard to believe that the Minister of Defence would support taxing soldiers this way. However, for this Liberal spending government, taxing Canadians is a higher priority than protecting Canadians. Only in a Liberal spending government is the revenue minister more powerful than the defence minister .
It is clear that the Minister of Defence cannot defend the women and men who defend Canada from being the Prime Minister's next tax target. We need a Minister of Defence who will fight for the Canadian Forces. That is why I will be inviting all Canadians to go to cherylgallant.com/postingtax. From that web page, they will be able to send a letter to the Minister of Defence and their local MPs to express opposition to the posting allowance tax. If members on the opposite side of this House hear from enough of their own constituents, they may find the courage to fight the posting allowance tax. That is my hope, that Liberal MPs will start listening to what is going on out there.
There is a rising level of anger and frustration with a federal government that is out of touch with regular Canadians. The pre-budget decision to target people of faith for their personal beliefs has angered people of all religions. Many small business owners and doctors have told me that they will never vote for the Liberal party. Canadian veterans feel particularly betrayed by an aloof Prime Minister when he tells veterans that he does not recognize their sacrifices. There are millions of dollars to give to a convicted terrorist. However, there is no money for the victims of roadside bombs.
The posting allowance tax is the latest example of how the Liberals will continue to sneak in new taxes on regular Canadians. All of this anger, and the Liberal spendthrift government only offers more of the same. The 2018 borrowing binge budget is filled with bad spending and higher taxes.
Canadians deserve a balanced budget, smarter spending, and lower taxes. Canadians deserve a Conservative government.