Woodstock restauranteur feels change is needed Oxford MP less than thrilled with budget 2024

25 Apr Woodstock restauranteur feels change is needed Oxford MP less than thrilled with budget 2024

By Lee Griffi

The latest federal budget has been released and to no one’s surprise, Oxford’s Conservative Member of Parliament had some harsh words for it, and a local business owner was also critical.

The 2024 document goes after the country’s highest earners with new taxes to help offset billions in new spending designed to enhance the country’s housing supply and social supports. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget outlines how the Liberals plan to allocate $39.2 billion in net-new spending, while upholding what they call fiscal guardrails.

The Liberals are asking the country’s wealthiest to pay more and Freeland said it would be wrong to pass on more debt to future generations. Public debt charges are on track to grow to $64.3 billion by the 2028-29 fiscal year.

Oxford Conservative MP Arpan Khanna said it’s the same old story being spewed by the Liberals. “After eight years of Justin Trudeau, this budget is exactly what got us into this mess in the first place. We have had record inflation over the last few years and the budget is doing absolutely nothing to stop that and nothing to bring down interest rates.”

He added inflation rose to 2.9 per cent in March and by bringing in a budget with over $50 million in new spending, it’s a recipe to make things worse. “You’re putting our essential services, our programs, at risk. This is their attempt to try and change the channel. Canadians are tired of paying extra for a bag of groceries and too much for housing.

It’s empty promises, more photo ops, and no plan to get our country back on track.”

Khanna said the budget will do nothing to make life more affordable for Canadians when it comes to housing and the cost of living. “We are in a housing crisis. Rent has doubled. Mortgage payments have doubled. Down payments have doubled. Canadians can’t buy homes. We have two million Canadians going to a foodbank every month and more are expected to join them this year.” He added the working class are the ones pushing back against the Trudeau government. “This is the same prime minister who said budgets balance themselves and he doesn’t think about monetary policy. Sadly, you can’t run your household on a credit card, and you can’t run the country that way.”

The Liberals have talked recently about the country’s AAA credit rating and a low debt-to-GDP ratio, but Khanna said that doesn’t mean much when you talk to people struggling in Oxford. “Tell that to a single mother who is struggling to put food on the table for her kids. Tell that line to our seniors on a fixed income who are calling me to say they are asking their children for handouts. Tell that to the average working-class family who have good jobs and dual incomes who are now saying we are working hard, trying to get by, but we are struggling.”  

Jennifer Pearce-Hall owns Woodstock’s Finkle Street Tap and Grill. She appeared on CTV News Network before the budget hoping for something positive for small business owners. She said that didn’t happen. “From my perspective, there’s been so many decisions made by government that are crippling to my industry. Everything from alcohol taxes going up to payroll taxes, inflation, and the carbon tax. It’s all part in parcel of what is really the struggle of small business right now.”

Pearce-Hall explained the administrative burden on a small business has ballooned meaning more time spent in the office filling out paperwork. Between the administration and the increase in expenses, it’s hard to make a profit. “The best way to describe is to say Jenny at Finkle had 12 eggs. With inflation, four of my eggs are gone. The debt due to COVID takes two more of my eggs. The carbon tax takes one of my eggs. All these other things take up my resources. If I’m left at the end of the year with zero eggs or half an egg, how is it possible to do business?”

She explained that from a customer’s perspective, they don’t see how the little things keep adding up. “They do see them from their own standpoint but there are extra costs. Our insurance rates went up 40 per cent. Things just don’t make sense and it’s hard to make the numbers work. I feel bad for our customers who come in and say they paid less for something on the menu. Cooking oil that used to be 23 dollars for a 16-litre pail is now pushing 55 to 60 dollars.”

The Echo asked Pearce-Hall if she had a message for the government, and she plainly said it’s time for a policy change, just like a small business would do. “I think holistically they are trying to make things work but they’re not addressing the root problem. I would think of it like this. If my business isn’t working, what do I need to do? Do I need to cut some of my suppliers, look at some of my systems? It doesn’t feel like that’s being done from a government perspective. It just feels like the people are being charged more.”    

Peace-Hall was reluctant to call out any federal party individually but she would say the troubles facing small businesses in the country need to be addressed. “Unless people are looking at the problems from a different vantage point, I don’t think there going to be much change if they are still using the same solutions for their problems. Those solutions aren’t supportive of people’s needs.” She added she’s very hopeful for change. “But for change to happen, change needs to happen.”

Despite her challenges as a small business owner, she explained how grateful she is to have an incredibly loyal customer base. “We are so grateful and so appreciative of our customers who have been dining with us for eight years. We thank the new people in the community who are coming out and trying what we have to offer which is an elevated dining experience. My staff and I are grateful for the support.”