For children, September means back to school. For Members of Parliament, it means back to Ottawa!
I have enjoyed the gorgeous Manitoba weather and many interesting opportunities that summer 2017 presented me with. My staff and I participated in a myriad of parades, celebrations and meetings around the constituency. In July, I was fortunate to be able to travel from Nain, Labrador to Iqaluit, Nunavut on an icebreaker as part of the Canada C3 expedition, a Canada 150 signature event. To top it all off, I have been able to spend time with my wife, Caroline, and our grandkids, which included teaching the 4-year-old twins to fish.
This summer has also seen some incredulous political issues come to light: the Liberal’s plan for carbon tax; the $10-million payout to Omar Khadr; the continued influx of asylum seekers; the plan to legalize marijuana by next Canada Day; the consultation, or lack thereof, on the proposed elimination of cash purchase ticket deferrals for farmers; and now proposed changes to the Small Business Corporate Tax Structure. My offices have received countless phone calls, emails and social media comments from constituents expressing their continued frustration with this Liberal government.
At the beginning of September, I joined our new leader Andrew Scheer and the rest of our Conservative caucus in Winnipeg to discuss the upcoming Parliamentary session. A caucus retreat happens before every session and the Leader’s office agreed with the Manitoba Members of Parliament, including myself, that it would be great to hold this one in friendly Manitoba.
Many of my colleagues took advantage of the opportunity and met with Manitoba agriculture organizations while they were here. The meeting focussed on the negative impact that the proposed tax changes will have on businesses and families in the agriculture industry. Farmers will not only see hikes to their taxes, but also increased difficulty in their ability to pass down their family farms to the next generation. Our caucus also met with a number of business and industry groups and Manitobans from all walks of life, to make sure we are in touch with the needs of folks on the ground.
Additionally, over the summer, Andrew Scheer has put together a fantastic shadow cabinet team to hold the Liberal government to account. I was pleased to be named the Deputy Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Wildlife Conservation and Parks Canada. I am happy to be able to continue working on the files of Parks Canada and wildlife conservation, and am looking forward to joining Shadow Minister Ed Fast on the Environment Committee this fall.
Now that we are back in Ottawa, the Conservative caucus is ready to hold the government to account on the issues that matter to hard working Canadians. We know that the proposed changes to small business taxation will negatively affect the entrepreneurs who are working hard to create new jobs and build great businesses right here in our area. We also know that Liberal backbenchers have been hearing from Canadians and they do not all agree with the changes that their government is proposing.
As a Conservative team, we will continue to stand up for farmers, doctors, and all small business owners. We are primed and ready to hold this Liberal government responsible for their terrible tax change proposals to pay for their reckless spending habits. Conservatives are, and will continue to be, a strong voice for Canadian taxpayers.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding issues at the federal level, please contact my constituency offices by phone at 204-848-7000 or 1-877-405-8946 or by email at [email protected].
Robert Sopuck, Member of Parliament
Dauphin – Swan River – Neepawa
