Ottawa, ON – Sandra Cobena, Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board and the King’s Privy Council, and Luc Berthold, Conservative Deputy House Leader, today called on Prime Minister Mark Carney and Liberal MPs to support a Conservative opposition day motion recognizing Canada’s affordability crisis after 11 years of Liberal government.
The motion asks the House to formally recognize:
“That the House officially recognize that: (a) the Liberals have been in power for 11 years; and (b) Canada is in an affordability crisis.”
“After 11 Liberal years, Canadians are working harder, paying more and falling behind. Families are cutting back, young people are putting off buying a home and too many workers finish the month wondering how they will afford the next one,” said Cobena. “Carney is out of touch. Canadians are out of money. He must vote for our motion and admit there is an affordability crisis before he can begin to fix it.”
Recent reports document the financial pressures facing Canadian households. MNP reports that 44 per cent of Canadians say they are $200 or less away from financial insolvency each month. More than half say they lack sufficient savings to support themselves or their families for six months following a job loss without borrowing or falling behind on bills.
According to PwC, Canadians plan to spend 11 per cent less this holiday season, while three-quarters are taking steps to stretch their budgets. RE/MAX finds that 65 per cent would compromise on a home’s type, condition or location to afford a larger or more suitable home, while 63 per cent would consider relocating for a home that better meets their needs.
The latest Economic Freedom of the World report also shows Canada fell from ninth to 18th between 2023 and 2024. The report identifies government size, regulation and freedom to trade internationally as the areas driving the decline.
On October 7, Liberal MPs voted against the Conservative Emergency Fuel Relief Plan motion, which proposed further federal diesel tax relief through Canada Day 2027 and tax measures to support infrastructure for Canadian fuel production.
“Yesterday, the Liberals voted against our plan to cut diesel taxes and produce more Canadian fuel. They rejected relief for the farmers who grow our food, the truckers who deliver it and the families who buy it,” said Berthold. “Now, will they even admit there is a problem? Canadians cannot pay their bills with Carney’s excuses. He must vote for our motion and acknowledge that, after 11 Liberal years, Canada is in an affordability crisis.”
Conservatives continue to advocate for lower fuel taxes, fewer regulatory barriers and faster approvals for infrastructure projects to support investment and employment.
“We will keep fighting to cut taxes, get projects built and let Canadians keep more of what they earn,” said Cobena. “Save you money. Save Canadian jobs. Restore the promise that hard work gets you ahead.”