IN THE NEWS: Tradesmen need a break: MP

Sudbury Star

Construction workers will be following the progress of a proposed bill that will provide them with mobility assistance.

New Democrat MP Chris Charlton was in Sudbury yesterday to speak with construction union representatives about bill C-390 and the implications it would have for the industry.

Because all construction work is temporary, workers are often required to maintain secondary residences at job sites. The bill proposes a tax credit on travel and accommodation expenses to these workers for jobs more than 80 kilometres from their primary residence.

"(In the) second-last budget, the federal government gave those tax credits to long-haul truckers," she said. "For some reason, they excluded the building trades."

"It makes no sense because we have skilled trade shortages in some parts of the country that we could fill with people looking for work, and yet we make it impossible for them to be able to afford to take those jobs."

The benefits of the bill would be enjoyed by both the government and the workforce, she said. Workers would be able to maintain a principle residence, and financial barriers that keep them from accepting certain jobs will no longer be a problem.

For the government, the tax credits would keep workers off of employment insurance and keep them paying income taxes.

She also spoke on the increasing prices of oil and gas in Ontario.

"Top of mind for everybody right now is gas prices," she said. "There's no doubt, it doesn't matter where in the province you are, it seems to be the No. 1 issue."

Charlton currently has a bill on the floor at the House of Commons that calls for the creation of an ombudsman for the purpose of investigating gas and oil prices. Right now, there is no effective way of complaining or taking action, she said.

"I think we need to make sure that consumers can be certain that when they get their gas at the pump, they aren't being hosed," Charlton said.

"The oil and gas ombudsman could actually investigate the prices that are being charged ... and make sure that there is no collusion, that there is no gouging, and if there is, take action and deal with the industry to bring prices back in line."

As the NDP senior's critic, Charlton also stopped at Finlandia Village to speak to residents about issues affecting them, such as income security and the need for a national drug plan.