I have lived in Edmonton Mill Woods for nearly 35 years, and raised my daughter here with my wife, Sarbjeet. Like my neighbours, I worked hard to stretch every dollar I earned and put food on the table for my family. In this community, I made a life as a bus driver, went on to be elected as a city councillor and your Member of Parliament, and appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to two Cabinet positions. Our community gave me the opportunity to succeed, and every single person in our community should have that same opportunity.
This is one of the reasons I have made fighting racism and intolerance, as well as building a more inclusive community, a priority. As a city councillor, I led our Immigration, Multiculturalism, and Racism Free Edmonton initiatives. Over the last four years while I have been in Ottawa, we have taken concrete action to build a stronger, more welcoming Canada.
I greatly appreciate the friendships I have developed over the years with so many members of Edmonton’s Filipino community. It was a very special day in the House of Commons when we unanimously passed the motion brought forward by my Liberal colleague, to declare June Fillipino Heritage Month, and I so enjoyed celebrating this occasion with you this year.
Living in this community, I have shared countless experiences with you. During our casual conversations, I have listened to your hopes, fears, and aspirations. This has allowed me to better understand your needs, advocate on your behalf, and deliver results.
To make living more affordable, we lowered taxes for the middle class by raising them for the wealthiest 1%, and introduced the tax-free Canada Child Benefit that has cut child poverty in Alberta in half. We increased income support for seniors and lowered the age of eligibility for Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement after the Conservatives raised it, and boosted Canada Student Grants. These changes have put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of working-class people in Edmonton.
After a decade of underinvestment in our province and our city’s infrastructure, I advocated for and delivered projects to keep our growing city moving. We are building an overpass at the 50th street rail crossing, turning Yellowhead into a real freeway, and expanding the LRT — so you can spend less time in traffic and more time with your family.
Thousands of jobs are being created because of the three major pipelines we either approved or support — including the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, which I worked hard to get shovels in the ground on. We have also unlocked $9 billion in petrochemical investments, and doubled funding for economic diversification, to create well-paying jobs and diversify our economy.
If re-elected, we will continue to make living more affordable. We will save your family over $1,500 by eliminating federal taxes on the first $15,000 you earn and slashing cell phone bills by 25%. We will also increase the CCB in a child’s first year, boost OAS for seniors after the age of 75, and provide up to $4,200 in grants for post-secondary students. We will make citizenship more affordable by eliminating the application fee for those who have obtained the requirements to obtain it.
Edmonton and Alberta need a strong voice in a re-elected Liberal government — and I have demonstrated that I am a strong, effective voice. If I am re-elected, I will continue fighting and delivering for you, your family and our community, because I am one of you.
— Amarjeet Sohi, your Liberal candidate running for re-election in Edmonton Mill Woods