Red Deer-Mountain View MP Earl Dreeshen continued discussions with Central Albertans on Thursday about Alberta’s job crisis.
Dreeshen hosted a roundtable in Olds that included community group members and municipal leaders.
“In November we held similar discussions in Red Deer and while different parts of the riding have some unique challenges and opportunities, some of the same themes continue to surface around the increasing tax burden and the lack of investor confidence due to government policies,” the Conservative MLA said.
“There is some light as far as oil and gas prices are concerned. That’s helping a little bit, but it’s not helping those companies that have had to let people go, that are shutting their doors, the thousands of people that have become unemployed in the last year.”
He said the federal government has not created jobs and has done nothing to reduce the business tax.
“If the U.S changes their business tax rate so that it can start bringing back investment dollars and encourage development, that’s where we’re going to find we lost any competitive edge that we had.”
Dreeshen said Canadians are also concerned about their country’s debt and the Liberal’s spending is something the Conservatives will continue to monitor.
“As opposition, we’ve always said we plan on being the voice of the taxpayer.”
He encouraged Central Albertans to share their views at www.albertajobstaskforce.ca.