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FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — From assisting displaced Ukrainians to continuing to fight against the carbon tax, local MP Bob Zimmer said 2022 was a busy year.
Zimmer outlined his eventful year, beginning with the election of the new Conservative party, Pierre Poilievre, and the continuation of his portfolio as Shadow minister of Northern Affairs and Arctic Sovereignty.
“With Covid a little bit in our rearview mirror, I’ve been able to get out and travel to the territories and northern parts of our province,” Zimmer said.
“Get a good handle on what the challenges are up north.”
Zimmer said some of the biggest issues facing northerners are a lack of security and military presence in the arctic and the cost of living. He said the Conservative party has tried to raise issues like the high cost of groceries and heating to the federal government, but to no avail.
“We’ve wanted them to budge on carbon tax, eliminate the carbon tax on home heating, but it would provide some relief to Northerners, and they’re just not gonna do it.”
Another major issue that made its way into Zimmer’s year was the Ukrainian refugee crisis currently facing many places across the country, including here in the north.
Zimmer explained how his offices and others in Prince George and Fort St. John have been helping displaced Ukrainian families in the region.
“We’ve been at it right from the start and have happily seen some families located here and just trying to get them linked up with employment and to meet people too. They’re a long way from home, but at least they can feel they’re amongst friends here.”
When asked about his greatest success in 2022, Zimmer said he sees success stories walk into his office all the time.
“Whether it’s an immigration issue that we’ve helped somebody with or a CRA issue that we help people with, those are all many successes along the way that for that particular individual or family, it’s the big issue of their year.”
Zimmer said he wasn’t perfect, but he was here to help and was “glad” to have helped individuals through some “tough spots” in their lives this past year.
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