Serge Lamontagne [email protected]
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POLITICS. If there were to be a federal election in the spring, the Conservative MP for Bellechasse-Les Etchemins-Lévis, Steven Blaney, believes that he and his party are ready to go to the front, even if he judges that a such a ballot is not an obligation for the moment.
“It is not a priority, but we have to be prepared for any eventuality, because there are indicators in this direction emanating from the Liberals such as the fact that they will not present their budget in March, as usual. In my opinion, this is a sign that their next budget will be one with an electoral flavor, with a lot of candy. They will throw dust in the eyes of people before fixing the broken pieces and having a precise target, ”says the man who is celebrating his 15 years as an MP in 2021.
Federal elections at this time are not necessary, adds the federal deputy who believes that a majority government can very well manage a crisis like the current pandemic. “We did it during the 2008 economic crisis with Mr. Harper and we came out of it a few years later with a balanced budget,” he recalls.
Mr. Blaney underlines that personally, he and his electoral team are ready. “Last year, outside the election year, we raised the largest amount in the history of the county. People didn’t like certain measures, like the student PKU, which created an artificial labor shortage last summer. People need to be able to learn to fish instead of waiting for it to be cooked in their mouths, ”he continues.
While the Conservatives voted in favor of most of the temporary measures put forward by the Trudeau government over the past year, Mr. Blaney is aware that this has had an effect on the federal debt, which has increased significantly. .
“During the 2008 economic crisis, we borrowed between $ 40 billion and $ 50 billion. Over the past year, we are still talking about $ 400 billion, ”specifies Mr. Blaney who is of the opinion that even if the debt is important, the objective of the Conservatives is to return to power as quickly as possible, in order to regain control of public finances.
“If we wait too long, the debt will explode right in our face. The Liberals like to throw money down the drain, but the day it runs out and Canada’s credit rating is devalued, our social safety net will be threatened. Instead of giving, we’re going to have to collect the world, which nobody wants. “
No systematic obstruction
Steven Blaney also wanted to respond to criticism from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who would accuse the Conservatives of systematically filibustering certain files in recent weeks, particularly with regard to the new aid bill. medical death.
“This is not the case, because we have adopted tens of billions of dollars of temporary measures (since the start of the pandemic). They wanted to rush through the new bill on medical assistance in dying, but we need to have a substantive discussion about it, because it affects a lot of people. This is not an urgent measure and the parliament must do its job, without rushing the file. “
Mr. Blaney recalled that if his party was in favor of temporary and support measures, it was necessary at the same time to ensure a solid economic recovery. “We cannot spend on one side without having income coming in on the other, it cannot last long,” he warns.
To this end, he recalls that his party was also in favor of Bill C-24, which will allow people to receive employment insurance for up to 50 weeks. “We agree with that. The debate is taking place and that is correct. We have also adopted a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom and I can say that we vote on a lot of things, even if we do not agree with everything. “
Immigration and labor
In addition, Mr. Blaney points out that in a pandemic period, immigration cases and the delays surrounding them represent the main problem with which he and his team must face.
“Companies that need workers are having difficulty finding labor and renewing work permits for staff already in place. This is one of the biggest challenges we face, not to mention the closure of borders and mandatory quarantine. If someone needs a Quebec selection certificate and does not have it, for example, you have to wait until after the federal government and there are various departments involved. The administrative mazes are numerous and have even exploded, which does not help, ”he laments.
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