Editorial: Imagine the benefits that $400 million could deliver for communities like ours.

November Scoop Editorial from MP Mel Arnold

When governments extract revenues from citizens in the form of taxes, citizens deserve to know how their taxes are being spent. It is also reasonable to expect governments to deliver value for monies collected, but the Trudeau government continues to fail in these basic and reasonable expectations.

In the past month, the legislative work of the House of Commons has ground to a halt as Members continue to debate a motion regarding the Trudeau government’s refusal to turnover uncensored documents related to the $400 million Green Slush Fund scandal. It is bad enough that another set of scandalous revelations of misappropriation has surfaced, and Trudeau’s refusal to release the documents has stalled Parliament and the work Parliament should be doing to benefit Canadians.

In June, the Auditor General of Canada released a report confirming at least 186 conflicts of interest in the running of Sustainable Development Technology Canada where Liberal appointees gave $400 million tax dollars to their own companies. Despite these findings and weeks of debate, PM Trudeau with the assistance of Jagmeet Singh’s NDP continue to deny Parliament and Canadians a full reckoning of what has happened to the $400 million.  

When I speak with residents, I hear how they are making tough decisions and struggling to afford mortgages, rents, groceries, and heating, and it is unconscionable that two political parties would work together to oppose those trying to expose the truth. Even the Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the Trudeau government violated an order of the House to turn over evidence to the RCMP; and yet, the Liberal government with its NDP enablers continue to hide the truth.

I firmly believe that federal spending and work of the federal legislature should be laser-focused on the pressing issues facing Canadians, including residents of the North Okanagan- Shuswap, not focused on scandalous behaviour that necessitates prolonged investigations and debates. This scandal, like the Trudeau scandals before it, has once again shaken the confidence of Canadians who, frankly, should be able to have confidence that their federal government is adhering to basic principles and delivering basic expectations.

I participated in debate last month and stated that “we have to wonder how much good could have been done with those dollars.” Imagine the benefits that $400 million could deliver for communities like ours had those funds been properly allocated for the benefit of Canadians. Our communities need support to upgrade wastewater systems to protect our waters and establish high speed internet service for the benefit of those who depend on the web for commerce, learning, and information. Severe weather events are a reality we face and $400 million could have gone a long way in improving public infrastructure to harden our communities against severe weather.

The NDP-Liberals must end the coverup and deliver the evidence to the police so Parliament can get back to working for Canadians.  I continue to work with my Conservatives colleagues to end the corruption and get answers and results for Canadians.