Finance

Question period on finance, held just before the government’s economic update was to be tabled. Conservatives, including Melissa Lantsman, Jasraj Hallan, and Pierre Paul-Hus, said the Prime Minister had promised to spend less but instead doubled the deficit and added tens of billions in new spending, which they linked to high grocery and housing costs, household debt, inflation, food bank use, and seniors in Quebec struggling on fixed incomes; they asked the government to keep the deficit under $31 billion. Liberal ministers, including Dominic LeBlanc, Steven MacKinnon, and Mélanie Joly, said the update would soon show good economic news, spending controls, growth among the highest in the G7, and inflation back within the Bank of Canada’s target range; MacKinnon challenged the Conservatives to say what they would cut. Part of the exchange involved LeBlanc correcting his earlier statement about when the finance minister would present the update.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text (opens in a new tab)

6 statements

Melissa Lantsman, Thornhill

Conservative
“The government is spending too much money. The Prime Minister promised to spend less, but he doubled the deficit instead. I want him to stop this spending and keep the deficit under $31 billion.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, red ink is flowing here in Liberal Ottawa, as the government puts the final touches on today’s fiscal update. The Prime Minister’s promise to spend less money quickly turned into a pledge to load up the taxpayer credit card and blow right past the limit. He could not even stay remotely close to the $31 billion left over by the last Liberal fiscal disaster. In fact, he actually doubled it. Will he end this costly credit card budgeting, cut spending or, at a minimum, cap the deficit at the already reckless $31 billion the last guy left behind?

Melissa Lantsman, Thornhill

Conservative
“The government's spending made life worse for Canadians. We now have high debt, high unemployment, and the worst food and housing costs in the G7. When will the government stop spending more money than it has?”
  • A repeated line

    “The highest housing costs and the second-highest unemployment in the G7.”

    Said 15 times by 12 members since April 27.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I doubt that Canadians will drink all that Kool-Aid, because they spent more and things actually got worse. After a decade of Liberal deficits, Canadians have the worst grocery inflation, the highest household debt, the worst housing costs and the second-highest unemployment in all of the G7. On top of all of that, Liberal ministers got rich and Canadians got the bill. These holdover ministers still have not learned that we cannot borrow our way to prosperity. I will ask again. How much more do Canadians have to pay before the government learns to live within its means?

Jasraj Hallan, Calgary East

Conservative
“The Prime Minister spends too much money, doubles the deficit, and raises debt. This makes life too expensive for Canadians. I want him to stop this overspending.”
  • A repeated line

    “When will the Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so that Canadians can afford to eat?”

    Said 4 times by 4 members since April 28.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe, but the Liberal Prime Minister makes Justin Trudeau look like a penny-pincher. After saying he would spend less, he doubled his deficit and added $90 billion in new spending, more debt, more costs, more taxes and more spending; the same old Liberals. While adding to the nation’s credit card, Canadians are putting their own bills on their personal credit cards. Will the Liberal Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so that Canadians can finally afford to live?

Jasraj Hallan, Calgary East

Conservative
“Government spending causes high inflation and forces millions of people to use food banks. Will the Prime Minister promise to limit the deficit to 31 billion dollars?”
  • A repeated line

    “The cost of government has driven up the cost of living.”

    Said 4 times by 3 members since April 27.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, in an hour, we are going to find out just how expensive Liberal good news really is. It is these massive deficits that we are probably going to see in the next hour, the same massive deficits that mean inflation today and higher taxes tomorrow. The cost of government has driven up the cost of living, and 2.2 million Canadians are going to a food bank in a single month, because the government gave Canadians the highest food inflation in the G7 and the highest household debt. Will the Liberal Prime Minister commit to capping the deficit at no more than the already reckless $31 billion Trudeau gave?

Pierre Paul-Hus, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles

Conservative
“The Prime Minister promised to spend less, but he doubled the deficit and hired more bureaucrats. In Quebec, many seniors live on very little money while care home costs go up. When will the Prime Minister stop running deficits so seniors can afford to live?”
  • A repeated line

    “The Prime Minister promised to spend less.”

    Said 5 times by 5 members since April 28.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government will present its economic update this afternoon. The Prime Minister promised to spend less, but he doubled the deficit. He promised to make cuts to the public service, but he increased bureaucracy by 7%. In Quebec, 40% of our seniors live on just over $20,000 a year, while long-term care rents have risen to $4,000 a month. When will the Liberal Prime Minister stop running up deficits so that our seniors can finally get their heads above water?

Pierre Paul-Hus, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles

Conservative
“The Liberals spent the last ten years making a mess of our money. Now seniors must choose between rent and food. Will the Prime Minister promise not to spend more than his planned $31-billion deficit?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the minister says that her government is getting the house in order. Who has been creating the mess for the past 10 years then? They did that. They want to clean up the mess they created, but let us be real. Nobody thought it was possible to spend more than Justin Trudeau. Still, as we can see, the Prime Minister has succeeded in achieving this unenviable feat. Meanwhile, the Liberal government has abandoned seniors, who now have to choose between paying rent and buying groceries. Will the Prime Minister commit to not spending more than the $31‑billion deficit promised by Justin Trudeau?

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