Archive for November, 2011

Not all government spending is created equal. For example, the roughly $300 million that is being spent to build the South Bridge to connect Circle Drive will make transportation more efficient and productive in Saskatoon.  This bridge will make our city more prosperous.

On the other hand, the Liberal long-gun registry cost around $2 billion. The registry was a hindrance to the hunting and guiding industry, all the while tying up police officers with more paper work.

I provide these two examples as an illustration as to why the Conservative government will be cutting some types of spending in the spring.  The federal government still does an enormous amount of wasteful spending, and that’s what we need to start cutting.  So, when someone complains to you that cutting government spending hurts the economy, ask them: What was the economic benefit of the long-gun registry? Then see if they get the point.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.

Did you know that last year, only eight per cent of Canadians maxed out their RRSPs? And that six out of every 10 Canadians do not have a pension plan at their workplace?

Even though small business owners might like to set up a pension plan for their workers, pension plans are usually too complex for them to set up and administer.

It is for these reasons that the Conservative government introduced legislation on November 17th to set up Pooled Registered Pension Plans.

These Pension Plans are large scale, low cost, pension plans that small businesses can join so that their employees have access to a pension plan.  Since these pension plans will be harmonized across the provinces and be administrated by professionals, self employed and small business workers will finally be able to have access to pensions beyond the CPP.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.

Remembrance Day is the one day each year we set aside to officially honour our War Dead and recognize our Veterans. We honour all who have served Canada.

This is also the first Remembrance Day since Canada halted active combat duty in Afghanistan.

Even though the nature of conflict has changed over the years, our responsibilities as Canadians have not.  We have the responsibility as Canadians to remember, to honour, and to learn.

We have a responsibility to remember those who died in battle defending Canada and our values. As time marches on, we should also tell our children about the bravery of our Veterans who survived the war but who are no longer with us.

We have the responsibility to honour those Veterans who have returned home to our local communities.

Canadians went to war in order to secure peace and freedom for ourselves and millions around the world. We need to learn the lessons of history in this regard.

We need to do all this, lest we forget.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.

On November 1st, the House of Commons passed the second reading of Bill C-19, legislation to repeal the long-gun registry.  While the opposition parties are continuing their fight to save the registry, it now appears that the long-gun registry will be history by January.

The long-gun registry started as an attempt by the government of the day to show that it was doing something to combat crime, without going after criminals.

And that was the problem. In attempting to control farmers, hunters, and sportsmen, the Liberals wrongly implied that Canadians who used shotguns and rifles were the problem.

The long-gun registry was a shameful attempt to blame lawful firearm owners for the behaviour of criminals. It is wonderful to see the registry consigned to history. Unfortunately, it took 15 years and $2 billion to see the registry retired.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament in Saskatoon-Humboldt. You can reach my office in Saskatoon at 975-6133. Feel free to drop by my two offices for a visit: Saskatoon (Monday to Friday) or Humboldt (Tuesday and Wednesday). I always appreciate your feedback.