Affordability, crime, and housing are the top three topics that the Member of Parliament representing Lethbridge says she heard throughout 2023.
According to MP Rachael Thomas, throughout the many conversations she had with those in the community those were topics that continually came up, and heading into 2024 she doesn’t see that changing a bunch.
“People are struggling to be able to pay for groceries, people are struggling to be able to pay for home heating, people are struggling to put fuel in their vehicles, and so it is certainly a priority of mine to content for my constituents and to be sure they are able to make their ends meet.”
One of the big pushes Thomas says she will continue to make in the upcoming year is getting the federal carbon tax scrapped. In the coming year, the federal politician says she will continue to create as many venues as possible to have these sorts of conversations with community members so she can represent Lethbridge to the best of her ability in Ottawa.
“For me, that consists of two things; one putting my ear to the ground and listening to the needs of my constituents; making myself available to them. The second is making sure once I have listened to them that I come to Ottawa and share their stories and fight for them in the House of Commons.”
One highlight that Thomas did share from 2023 was the creation national suicide prevention line. Thomas says fellow Conservative Party MP Todd Doherty proposed the three-digit mental health line, highlighting the increase in mental health concerns across the country and received all-party support.
“I think it is important to highlight the cross-party support and collaboration that it took to create this hotline.”
The 9-8-8 line is available 24 hours a day anywhere in Canada and can be used through a traditional phone call or text.