Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of all the great residents of Simcoe—Grey.
I just want to give a quick thanks. Last week was Remembrance Day, and I was invited to 15 ceremonies. I attended two of them on Remembrance Day, the only two I could go to during that time period since I was driving. I just want to thank the volunteers in my EDA for helping out to make sure that a wreath was placed at each event. I also had many volunteers out this weekend, as we had two parades, one in Angus and one in Collingwood. We have many parades. I thank them for their support.
For those who were not here the last time I spoke, I was talking about seeing scandal after scandal, whether it is WE Charity, SNC-Lavalin or, probably the largest one, the green slush fund, and about our frustration. I was talking about some of my residents, like Stephanie, who started a new poultry farm in my riding. She was due a GST rebate in April but had not received it by June, so she reached out to my office. In July she was told it was under audit and to follow up in three months. Already frustrated after the three months, she said that the GST refund could really help keep her new business going. However, it is government, so we waited until October 3, and guess what we were told. There was no audit noted on her file at all and no one was sure what was holding up the refund.
A week later, the CRA said there was no agent on her file at all. For nine months, this brand new business waited for a much-needed rebate cheque, but the CRA had no one on the file, could not say why the refund had not been processed and could not tell her when it might be. It is another incredibly frustrating experience for a Canadian just trying to get ahead.
As I have said here before, all of this is while the Liberals directed $338 million to projects in which board members of the green slush fund had a direct conflict of interest. For anyone who is paying attention right now, that is why so many people are frustrated with the Prime Minister and want him to go. Even some members of the Liberal Party are starting to understand that as well.
I am going to end my speech with the words of one of the courageous whistle-blowers who helped bring the Auditor General's attention to the corruption at the green slush fund:
The true failure of the situation stands at the feet of our current government, whose decision to protect wrongdoers and cover up their findings over the last 12 months is a serious indictment of how our democratic systems and institutions are being corrupted by political interference.
I want to take this opportunity to thank that whistle-blower, who brought this to light. We do not need it, but it is why we are seeing frustration.
It is time to axe the tax. It is time for us to build the homes. It is time to fix the budget. It is time to stop the crime. Frustrated Canadians have had enough. They are worried about another budget and what the government will do to all Canadians and how it is going to affect their lives. It is time for us to call a carbon tax election and let them decide what the right thing to do is. It is time to bring it home.