“I want to know what the government plans to do next week. Debt, inflation, and interest rates are all going up, and food will cost more next year. The government is presenting its budget on Thursday. I hope it includes plans to lower the cost of living, make housing affordable, protect jobs, and help people save money.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour for me to rise in place of the House leader for the official opposition to ask this question. As he says every time, all Canadians are eagerly awaiting this moment. This is an opportunity for us to ask the government what is in store for us next week. However, before we look ahead to next week, it is worth taking a brief look back. It was a tough week for the government, especially when we learned from the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report that $703 billion would be added to the national debt over the next five years. We also learned that inflation is up to 3.1% and that the Bank of Canada has raised interest rates. Finally, the Governor of the Bank of Canada told us that families will unfortunately have to pay more for food next year. Next week, the government will, in a sense, turn a Thursday into a Tuesday by tabling its budget on that day, rather than on a Tuesday, as is customary in the House. We hope the Minister of Finance will include measures in this budget to bring down the cost of living so that rents are more affordable and people can continue to pay their mortgages. I also hope the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons will announce legislative measures to ensure that Canadians can keep their jobs and save money. I look forward to my hon. government colleague’s response.”