“I'm going to poke at how 'independent' this will really be. Who gets to pick the board members?”
What they said. What they meant.
Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.
Recent debates
8 latest topics
Spring Economic Update 2026 Implementation Act
57 statements
Spring Economic Update 2026 Implementation Act
19 statements
Arab Heritage Month Act
5 statements
The Economy
15 statements
Government Priorities
2 statements
Government Priorities
2 statements
Housing
12 statements
The Environment
2 statements
Government Orders
Business of Supply
A wide-ranging bill to implement the Spring 2026 Economic Update, touching on everything from tax deductions for tradespeople to aviation fuel taxes to beer excise duty rates. In 5 hours of debate, MPs mostly grilled the Finance Minister on unrelated topics like ride-sharing regulation, StatsCan data collection, and election promises from 2015. Some substantive questions were asked about domestic investment levels and the bill's housing provisions, but mostly talk went in circles without many direct answers.
“This 'fund' will have a Liberal-appointed board, use borrowed money, and have political interference. That's a slush fund, not a sovereign wealth fund.”
“Why are you ignoring the rest of the world's good examples?”
“This government program can't get anything done because of the government's own rules. Why should we think their new fund will be any better?”
“You won't answer my simple questions. I think your program just helps Liberal friends. Why won't you copy programs that work better?”
“You want to spend more taxpayer money on a fancy new program. That program will pay executives a lot of money. But Canadians have trouble buying food. I want you to say how much the new CEO will get paid.”
“You're not following Norway's example. You're doing the opposite. I want to know the cost of the fund. Nobody will tell me. How much will it cost Canadians over the next five years?”
“I want you to give a straight answer: how much interest will Canadians pay on this $25 billion fund's debt?”
“I want the minister to answer my simple, direct question about the cost of the bureaucracy. Stop dodging.”
“Why do you want taxpayers to pay for this new fund? How does more debt help anyone?”
“Taxpayers are on the hook. You're spending their money.”
“Why do you keep making expensive programs that don't work? This is just another one.”
“You want a wealth fund. I don't like how you're paying for it. Debt is bad. I want you to stop.”
“Why are you spending this fund inside Canada? That will only drive up prices. The Norway fund avoids this by investing outside Norway.”
“You gave money to your friends before. Are you doing it again?”
“I'm asking for a promise that the finance minister will stay out of the room when they pick who gets to run this new pile of money.”
“Who gets to pick the people running this slush fund? Will the minister have a hand in it?”
“I want the minister to promise he won't meddle in appointing board members. His non-answer makes me think he wants to pick them himself.”
“I'm filling time by talking about how much time I'll spend talking. I'll share my time with a friend who agrees with me. People asked questions but didn't get answers they liked. I'll ask again since you're probably tired of answering.”
“Are you tired? Do you buy your own groceries?”