Mr. Speaker, at a time when Canadians are feeling economic pressure, it is more important than ever that all levels of government work together. Municipalities are under growing strain. The cost of building and maintaining infrastructure continues to rise, while local councils are still expected to deliver essential services and support the growth of their communities at the levels residents deserve.
It is my pleasure to work with the mayors and councillors of 18 municipalities across my riding of Yellowhead. It takes nearly eight hours to travel from north to south, and while it is not always possible to be everywhere on every occasion, I remain in constant contact with my municipal and provincial counterparts.
I want to thank my municipal leaders for their dedication, hard work and commitment to their communities. Their leadership makes a real difference in the lives of residents every day. By working together, we can move projects forward and ensure that our communities continue to grow and succeed.
As tax season is under way, families across the country are gathering documents to comply with our voluntary self-reporting tax system. Meanwhile, my fellow CPAs and accountants are working long hours helping Canadians navigate an increasingly complex system. My colleagues in the profession are doing a great job. To them, I say stay strong; May is coming soon.
However, there is an elephant in the room. While hard-working people are doing the right thing, I continue to hear that the CRA creates confusion and unnecessary errors. Too often, a single parent who made a mistake faces a lengthy and difficult process to correct it, while large corporations can see millions in tax debt forgiven with no transparency.
As the only CPA with public practice experience in the House, I proactively engage with the accountants in Yellowhead and across Canada to bring forward their concerns and their ideas for change, specifically with respect to authorizations. Together, we will restore common sense, accountability and fairness to the CRA.
I recently asked the Liberals to remove the taxes and red tape holding Canadians back. I asked a simple question: What are they waiting for? Sadly, what Canadians heard was an attempt by the government to blame everyone else for problems it had created. Yes, global uncertainty and trade tensions matter, but Canada's economic weakness did not start yesterday. For years, businesses across the country have been warning about rising taxes, endless regulatory delays and inflation fuelled by the Prime Minister's $78-billion deficit. Those decisions are made here in Ottawa.
The facts speak for themselves. Canada now has the weakest economic growth in the G7, and GDP per capita has shown negative growth. Investment is leaving the country, productivity is failing, and too many businesses are choosing to expand elsewhere instead of here. Instead of dismissing the legitimate concerns of hard-working Canadians as a “hissy fit”, as the Liberal parliamentary secretary did in response to my question, the government should listen to these workers, entrepreneurs and families who are living with the consequences of its policies every day.
If the government truly wants to create good-paying jobs, it must restore confidence in Canada as a place to invest, build and grow. When will the government finally take responsibility and remove the barriers holding back Canadians?