As 2017 comes to a close, I hope this note finds you and your family well. The House of Commons resumed sitting in September, and since then, we’ve had a busy session in Ottawa; I’d like to take a moment to let you know what we’ve been up to since the last time we spoke.

Early in the summer, Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau released a series of tax changes designed to raise rates on small business owners, doctors, professionals, and entrepreneurs. I held five townhalls on these tax changes, with small business owners, realtors, doctors, dentists, and other professionals in my riding throughout August and September. In October, Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poilievre joined my Edmonton Conservative colleagues and I at a tax-hike townhall, where we heard hundreds of Edmontonians voice their concerns about this reckless attack on small businesses. I’ll note that neither of my Liberal colleagues in Edmonton bothered organizing a townhall to solicit feedback. It’s clear that their pledge to run a consultative government disappeared the minute they decided to take more out of your pocket. The tax changes dominated the parliamentary discussion this fall, and I’m pleased that a strong Conservative opposition to these reckless tax-hikes forced the Liberals to back down. While the Finance Minister eventually introduced a watered-down version of his initial proposals, the leftover policies could still damage Canada’s fiscal competitiveness, especially in contrast to the United States.

 As 2017 comes to a close, I hope this note finds you and your family well. The House of Commons resumed sitting in September, and since then, we’ve had a busy session in Ottawa; I’d like to take a moment to let you know what we’ve been up to since the last time we spoke.

Early in the summer, Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau released a series of tax changes designed to raise rates on small business owners, doctors, professionals, and entrepreneurs. I held five townhalls on these tax changes, with small business owners, realtors, doctors, dentists, and other professionals in my riding throughout August and September. In October, Conservative Shadow Finance Minister Pierre Poilievre joined my Edmonton Conservative colleagues and I at a tax-hike townhall, where we heard hundreds of Edmontonians voice their concerns about this reckless attack on small businesses. I’ll note that neither of my Liberal colleagues in Edmonton bothered organizing a townhall to solicit feedback. It’s clear that their pledge to run a consultative government disappeared the minute they decided to take more out of your pocket. The tax changes dominated the parliamentary discussion this fall, and I’m pleased that a strong Conservative opposition to these reckless tax-hikes forced the Liberals to back down. While the Finance Minister eventually introduced a watered-down version of his initial proposals, the leftover policies could still damage Canada’s fiscal competitiveness, especially in contrast to the United States.

I’m very proud of the work our Conservative caucus was able to do to force the Liberals to back down on their tax-hike proposal. Together with Canadians across the country, we were able to hold this government to account and make them answer for their policies. It goes to show that a determined opposition backed by hardworking Canadians can make a difference. So thank you all.

Later on in the fall, in response to a massive increase in regulatory bureaucracy by the Liberals, TransCanada announced that it was canceling the Energy East pipeline. The Liberal government recently reformed the National Energy Board’s pipeline review process to include more regulatory red-tape disguised as an oversight. The practical implication is that building new energy projects has simply become too expensive in Canada, so more and more energy companies are choosing to take their business outside of our province, and move to friendlier districts south of the border and around the world. I am extremely disappointed in the lackluster effort by Alberta’s four Liberal MPs to speak out in support of our energy sector and will continue standing up for our job-creating industry—especially when the Liberals won’t.

I had the opportunity to recognize a fantastic volunteer in the House of Commons earlier this year. Kim Street and her husband Jason are two of the hardest working volunteers in our city, and I’m very proud of all the selfless good work they do to make our community a better place.

As always, I want to thank you for the privilege to serve as your representative in Ottawa. On behalf of my wife, Sasha, and our two sons, Jensen and Parker, I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!