Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to table a petition on behalf of Vancouver Islanders and British Columbians. They highlight that wealth inequality in Canada is rising, with more Canadians struggling to afford the basics of life while corporate profits continue to break records. They highlight that austerity measures very often exasperate inequality. The federal government is planning austerity measures including a massive cut of $25 billion to the publicly funded jobs and programs that Canadians rely upon, and the federal government has and plans on further cutting taxes on the wealthy. They also highlight that climate change is worsening, causing Canadians to project $25 billion in losses each year, and a wealth tax could, as per the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, generate more than $32 billion in the first year alone.
Petitioners call on the House of Commons to reconsider the sweeping cuts to Canadian jobs and services and, lastly, to propose a bill to fund good-paying jobs, public services and the transition to a sustainable economy by making corporations and the wealthiest Canadians pay their fair share.