Michael Cooper

Mr. Speaker, we have seen the Prime Minister play the blame game when it comes to rising fuel prices. He likes to blame external factors. Last week, he blamed the provinces. However, at the end of the day, there is a lot he can do to bring down costs, including lifting all federal taxes on fuel. I would submit that the Prime Minister ought to control what he can control and lift those taxes, instead of playing this blame game. If he did so, he could save the average family $1,200. I wonder if my colleague could elaborate on some steps the Prime Minister could take.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are paying near record high fuel prices. Justin, from my riding, is raising four children on a single income. He has to drive 65 kilometres to work because he cannot afford to live any closer, and now he can barely afford to get to work due to skyrocketing fuel prices. Why will the Liberals not help folks like Justin by adopting our Conservative plan to save Canadians money by lifting not just one tax, but all federal taxes on fuel until at least Canada Day?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is out of touch, blaming everyone but himself for skyrocketing fuel prices. He blames foreign factors. Yesterday, he blamed the provinces, but it is his industrial carbon tax and clean fuel standard that are hiking prices. Instead of playing the blame game, why does the Prime Minister not simply control what he can control and lift all federal taxes on fuel until at least Canada Day, saving the average family $1,200?

Mr. Speaker, I have a question about corruption surrounding the Liberal government's now infamous lease with Maritime Launch Services for a so-called space port. We know that the government entered into this lease, notwithstanding that Maritime Launch Services had no history of launching anything into space. Indeed, Maritime Launch Services had a history of not doing much of anything because Maritime Launch Services was a practically bankrupt company, sustaining a loss of $47 million and with revenue of just $15,000 in 2025. As such, it is no wonder that the share value of Maritime Launch Services was practically worthless, but then the Liberals entered into the so-called space port lease on March 16 of this year, and rather conveniently, the Liberals backdated the lease by one full year to 2025, funnelling $20 million tax dollars to Maritime Launch Services for no work and no value, effectively bailing out Maritime Launch Services. What was the consequence of that? Surprise, surprise, the share value of Maritime Launch Services soared, and immediately following that, within three weeks, the chair of the board sold three million previously worthless shares, walking away with $1.8 million. He became a millionaire overnight. Do members know what that is called? It is called “pump and dump”. Do members know what else it is called? It is called “corruption”, which the Liberals allowed to happen because they failed to take the most basic of measures to prevent this kind of insider profiteering, such as, for example, insisting upon a lock-up agreement. Why did they not do that? Why did they allow this to happen? Is it because this type of corruption is business as usual with the Liberals?

Mr. Speaker, my question was about pump and dump. It was about corruption. Here we have the Liberal government funnelling $20 million to Maritime Launch Services, bailing out a nearly bankrupt company, upon which the chair of the board immediately sells three million of his shares, walking away with $1.8 million. Does the parliamentary secretary consider that to be normal? Is that just business as usual with the Liberals? How can the parliamentary secretary justify this type of corruption?