WEYBURN - The announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he will be stepping aside came at the perfect time, at the end of the Christmas-New Year’s holidays, said Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen, as he made many Christmas wishes come true.
Trudeau made his announcement on Monday morning that he would leave as Prime Minister once a new Liberal leader is chosen, and will be proroguing Parliament until March 24 to allow that to happen.
“It’s a good step, but it still hasn’t got us that carbon tax election that we need,” said MP Kitchen from his home in Estevan. “We believe we need that election, and we need to get it as quick as possible.”
The MP pointed out the many problems caused by the Liberals over the last nine years, including the carbon tax which is killing jobs, supported by all Liberal members.
“That’s what people across the country need to remember, every single Liberal, whether running for the leadership or coming back to run, they all actively supported this prime minister’s out-of-control spending, his out-of-control deficits, his policies that that have increased the debt by 150 per cent. We can’t let that be forgotten,” said Kitchen.
After Trudeau’s announcement, he asked the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until March 24 as the Liberals seek a new party leader.
MP Kitchen said once this is done, the House will be called back to order with a new Throne Speech, and after it’s debated it will go for a confidence vote. Both the Conservative and NDP leaders have said they would be going for a defeat of the government at the first confidence vote opportunity that comes up.
“We want that election, end of story, and that is what we will continue to push for,” said the MP.
“Who that new leader will be is hard to say. I’m sure there will be a bunch of names thrown in, and a number of people not in government,” he added.
Noting that Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned right before Christmas, he guessed she might be one of those who will run for the party leadership. If she does, voters need to remember that she set a deficit of $40 billion for the current year, and it’s already increased by $62 billion.
“She’s guilty (for the deficit) just like every one of them. She created that deficit spending, or their constant over-spending,” said the MP.
Mark Carney is another possible leadership name, and Kitchen pointed out he endorsed the carbon tax that is in place in his book, “so he’s just as guilty on that tax and the huge deficit we’re accumulating. Hopefully people will point those facts out.
As Parliament will not be in session for the next three months, Kitchen said he will be around the constituency a fair amount, and will be available for constituents should they need to contact him at any point.
