Local Conservative MP Eric Melillo believes his party has done a fine job standing up for Canadians squeezed by inflation.
“I think overall I've been proud of our advocacy as the Official Opposition advocating for trying to make life more affordable for Canadians,” he told Newswatch as the House of Commons neared closing for the summer.
“Of course, that's been a concern that we've had for quite some time is as the cost of living continues to soar, whether it’s groceries, housing, home heating – many essential things that are becoming more expensive for people.
“So I've been very, very proud of our advocacy holding the government to account on that and advocating for some common sense solutions – as well as the work that our Conservative team has done on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee.”
The Liberal MPs for neighbouring Thunder Bay-Rainy River and Thunder Bay-Superior North had different perspectives.
Thunder Bay-Rainy River’s Marcus Powlowski counted a change to capital gains tax among the Liberal government’s “wins.”
Taxing capital gains above $250,000 a little more will raise money that will go towards important programs like daycare and “a national school food program,” he said.
Advances in pharmacare and dental care were also on the Liberal’s list of wins, along with a specifically Northwestern Ontario item: a pledge in the 2024 federal budget to put up funding for a bridge over the Berens River near Pikangikum.
Once it’s built, the bridge will provide road access for Pikangikum residents and Frontier Lithium’s PAK project, he said.
Patty Hajdu, who represents Thunder Bay-Superior North and is in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, said the national dental plan covering seniors “is an amazing accomplishment.”
“Being the previous minister of health, I just know how heavy of a lift that was to get a national dental insurance plan off the ground and breathe life into that,” said Hajdu, who is now minister of Indigenous services.
“And now we have, last count that I checked, over 200,000 seniors that have taken advantage of no-cost or low-cost dental care. It is actually transforming lives.”
Parliament is adjourning for the summer “but there's still lots of work to do in our riding,” said Melillo.
The Kenora riding has nine municipalities and dozens of First Nations – “lots of ground to cover,” he said.
“I'm going to be doing as extensive a tour as possible” to hear what’s on people’s minds, he said.
“That's really where my focus is going to be.”
For her part, Hajdu said she will be working till about July 2, then take some time off for her son visiting from Yukon before getting back to her work as an MP and cabinet minister.
“We're going to be attending some powwows and different kinds of cultural events, celebrating with community all kinds of different ways,” she said.
“And obviously I'll be doing some national travel as well.”
Powlowski said his summer likely won’t include “much time for personal stuff.
“Mostly I’m doing stuff in the riding, trying to get out to the west of the riding, talking to people as much as possible.
“Next summer is probably going to be an election, so there isn’t going to be the same opportunity to do that. So that’s an important thing.
“I’m also going to spend a little bit of time advising our government on what I’d like to see in the platform for the next election.
“There are things like the idea of putting more money into cancer research, making that a government priority in the coming term,” said Powlowski, who is also a physician. “I’d like that to be part of our formal platform.”
MPs agreed to adjourn for a summer break last week, a couple of days earlier than planned.
