MP Earl Dreeshen says Finance Minister Bill Morneau has an opportunity to improve Canada’s business and tax climate with the upcoming federal budget.
Earlier this week the Red Deer-Mountain View MP reminded the Liberal government of the Alberta job crisis and that their budget can make a difference in the lives of Albertans who are unemployed and losing their homes.
“Let’s get something in this budget. Let’s make sure that we can see where the actual realities of the issues that are happening in Alberta are going to be recognized, and some of these aspirational goals that government set for themselves may be replaced with some realistic goals,” the Conservative MP said.
He said the Liberals campaigned on reduced taxes for business and now is the time to do it as the United States looks at drastic tax cuts.
“We don’t know what their position is going to be regarding the carbon tax, but there doesn’t seem to be an appetite at least on the executive level. If that’s the case, once again we have one more item that is setting us apart.”
He said Canadians should be concerned about where businesses will look to invest.
Getting Alberta oil to foreign markets is another way to put more dollars in the pockets of all Canadians and a west-east pipeline would help, he said.
“The oil all Canadians use is not Canadian oil. If they’re concerned about tanker traffic, there’s the same tanker traffic on the east coast that comes in bringing Saudi oil for Eastern Canada as there would be if we were moving our oil to other places in the world.
“They’ll dump sewage straight into the St. Lawrence, but they’re concerned about a pipeline that might go in their communities. People don’t understand what is taking place.”
Dreeshen said he is also waiting for action on infrastructure projects the government says it’s approving.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com