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Martin Shields

Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
Conservative

Bow River
Alberta
Voting Attendance: 65%
Expenses Last Quarter: $127,198.82

Government Page

Context: House Hansard - 287 - Feb/28/24

Feb/28/24 2:13:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while the common-sense Conservatives would axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime, after eight years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost, crime or corruption. On April 1, and this is not an April Fool's Day joke, we can get ready for another 23% carbon tax increase from the NDP-Liberal government, which will rob money from hard-working Canadians, increase food prices and not lower emissions. People such as Ann, Neil and Scott have called me in desperation, and they have shared with me the costs of their skyrocketing energy bills. Some are paying nearly double in carbon tax than the energy they use, but it does not seem to matter to these NDP-Liberals. If the radical environment minister had his way, all Alberta families would be forced to freeze inside or walk to work in -40°C on roads and bridges that would no longer exist. Common-sense Conservatives would axe the tax for everyone, everywhere, so Canadians could afford to heat their homes, drive their kids to school, get to work and get the government to butt out of their lives for good.

201 words

Context: House Hansard - 279 - Feb/9/24

Mr. Martin Shields (Bow River, CPC)

Feb/9/24 11:41:39 a.m.
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Re: Bill C-234

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of groceries. A University of Saskatchewan study said that Canadian farmers have at least 60% fewer emissions than the average of the world. I attended an irrigation conference this week with hundreds of farmers, such as Rob, who told me it costs him tens of thousands of dollars in the carbon tax to operate his irrigation. There is no rebate, and they all want it gone. When will the NDP-Liberals give farmers and families a break, pass Bill C-234 and axe the tax?

103 words

Context: House Hansard - 184 - Apr/25/23

Mr. Martin Shields (Bow River, CPC)

Apr/25/23 3:03:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Alberta families across the income scale will see a net loss of thousands of dollars because of the government's punishing carbon tax, so says the latest Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, but the Liberals would like to bury that one and cover it up. The ripple effect on the cost of food from farm to truck to store continues to inflate food prices. Albertans know that the carbon tax siphons off their hard-earned money and does not lower emissions. Will this NDP-Liberal government scrap the carbon tax, or will Canadians scrap the government?

98 words

Context: House Hansard - 139 - Dec/1/22

Mr. Martin Shields (Bow River, CPC)

Dec/1/22 6:36:21 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in the House tonight and share the time and discussion on this topic with my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, who I know works hard on his file and is committed to agriculture, as many people are in this House. I appreciate that he is here this evening for this discussion. One of the things I have talked about in the House a number of times is the carbon tax and the challenge it presents for a particular part of the ag industry, which has a lot to do with ag production in Canada, but also specifically in the Bow River riding. My question is to do with the topics of exemption, rebate and inflation. Canadian farmers, as my colleague would know, are among the most efficient, if not the most efficient, in the world. Ag emissions from Canadian ag producers are 70% lower than the average. At times the public does not understand or realize how efficient the ag sector is, but another important aspect is that Canada is the fifth-largest exporter of ag food in the world. Often ag producers feel like they are vilified. They should be applauded, but they feel vilified in our country. In the Bow River riding, where the majority of irrigation is in Alberta and 4% of the land produces almost 20% of the Alberta ag GDP, the title of our ag minister is Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. That is how important irrigation is in Alberta and in the Bow River riding, where the majority of irrigation is. I am going back to the topic of exemption. To run irrigation, we use electricity. Ag producers use electricity. That powers irrigation. Electricity is not one of the exemptions under this government. The government often refers to the exemptions for fuels like natural gas, but electricity is not an exemption. It is very expensive. The government will also talk about rebates. The rebate is about 1%, or a penny on the dollar, and these days pennies are not even legal tender. That is not much, so I have seen bills from my ag and irrigation producers of $7,000 per month for the carbon tax. I have seen irrigation carbon tax electric bills of $40,000. Those are huge, and although the government says the rebate is 80%, or eight dollars on $10, it is 1% for our ag producers. That is why they feel vilified. Inflation has seen a 110% increase. The cost of farm fuel has doubled. Combines can cost $1 million. If we add all the carbon tax on ag producers, they are feeling like they are vilified in their own industry and that the government is leaving them behind. The ag producers will be an industry that cannot produce food security within our own country. Ag producers are price-takers. They have nowhere else to put these costs, and when we talk about taxation, it is brutal. Electricity is not exempt.

502 words

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Member of Parliament

Martin Shields