Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Ed Fast, Conservative Shadow Minister for Finance, Dan Albas, Conservative Associate Shadow Minister of Finance and Housing Inflation, and Gérard Deltell, Conservative Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Industry, issued the following statement after the NDP-Liberal government voted against a Conservative motion to give Canadians a break from the cost of living crisis:

“One of the first acts of the new NDP-Liberal government was to vote against giving Canadians a break at the pumps by removing the GST from fuel.

“This common-sense solution would have provided much needed relief to Canadians suffering most from inflation — Canadians who rely on their vehicles to get to work or to drive their kids to hockey practice, and small businesses and non-profits who depend on their vehicles to keep serving their community.

“With inflation at the highest rate in a generation, red-hot housing prices that have doubled under Justin Trudeau, and gas prices higher than $2.00/litre in some parts of the country, Conservatives proposed a simple solution to leave money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians by pausing the GST on fuel.

“Unfortunately, the NDP-Liberal government continued with their ideological and activist agenda and voted against this solution.

“Canadians can’t afford higher taxes, more debt, and less accountability from the NDP-Liberal government.

“Conservatives will be consistent and continue to fight the NDP-Liberal coalition to make life more affordable for Canadians. We will continue to fight for families across Canada that have been pushed to the brink because of the cost of living crisis our country is facing.”