Conservatives and the New Democrats are urging the federal government to introduce new measures to tackle the rising cost of living for Canadians, with different approaches to tackling the inflation crisis.
Conservatives have submitted a proposal for Opposition Day to call on the government to temporarily suspend taxes on goods and services levied on petrol and diesel, freeze the carbon tax and abolish fertilizer tariffs, among other demands, to provide immediate relief to Canadians. .
“People pay – in some provinces – $ 2 a liter for gas. People can’t afford groceries, they can’t afford rent, much less mortgages … What’s very disappointing is that liberals won’t even consider tax cuts. As I said, this is not a new idea, other countries are doing it, “said interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen.
Bergen said he hoped the proposal would receive support from the NDP and the Quebec bloc.
However, at a separate press conference on Tuesday to address rising living costs, NDP leader Jagmit Singh said the way to tackle it is by imposing a tax on the profits of large companies.
“We see clearly that corporations are making these huge profits. “They are making record profits and their record profits are directly contributing to rising living costs,” Singh said.
“We strongly believe that the solution must be a redistribution of wealth.
The calls for action came the same day as the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) published a new report showing that consumer price index inflation is now at its highest level since the introduction of inflation targeting in 1991.
The PBO cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine as unexpected but high inflationary pressures.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne responded to the demands of the Conservatives and the NDP, noting that inflation is “first and foremost” for the government.
“I think everyone is obsessed with trying to find ways to make life more accessible to Canadians from coast to coast.” which could be anti-competitive, “he said.
The minister also cited the government’s deals on childcare with the provinces as a mechanism to alleviate daily living expenses.
Thirty-eight percent of respondents in a new FP Canada Financial Stress Index survey cite money as the biggest source of stress for the fifth time in eight years, nearly twice as much as personal health, work or relationships.
More than two-thirds said rising food costs have a direct impact on financial stress, while another 56 percent said the same was true for gas prices.
A separate study published Sunday by Food Banks Canada and conducted by Mainstreet Research shows that food insecurity and hunger are on the rise across the country, with nearly a quarter of respondents saying they eat less than they should because they are not. had enough money.
The number has doubled for those earning less than $ 50,000 a year.
The poll also found that one in five Canadians reported starving at least once between March 2020 and March 2022.
Food Banks Canada CEO Christine Beardsley said most food banks are already stretched as uncertainty levels are expected to rise during the summer months.
“Food banks in most regions of Canada are experiencing an influx of Canadians visiting food banks for the first time – a number that has increased by up to 25 percent in some regions,” she said in a statement.
Some provincial governments are taking steps to cool the price of gas specifically for pumps.
Doug Ford’s government announced in April that it would introduce legislation that would reduce the gas tax by 5.7 cents per liter and the fuel tax by 5.3 cents per liter for six months starting July 1. The Jason Kenny government has also announced it will stop collecting its fuel tax and is offering a $ 150 discount on electricity.
Bergen accused the Liberals of showing “political revenge” by refusing to agree with conservative proposals to tackle inflation over the past few months.
“What is so incredibly disturbing is the prime minister’s desire to play politics with people’s lives, the Conservatives, on the other hand, have chosen to offer positive solutions,” she said.
MPs are expected to vote on the Conservatives’ proposal later tonight.
With files from The Canadian Press.
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