“This budget helps big businesses instead of working people. It gives billions to corporations, the military, and a pipeline, but offers no new money for medicine, dental care, or child care. I want the finance minister to explain why.”

“Mr. Speaker, Christmas came early for CEOs, thanks to the Liberal government. This budget puts corporate interests over those of struggling Canadians. There is $36 billion for a business mega deduction but only half of that for affordability measures. Liberals are allocating one in five tax dollars to military spending today, increasing to a staggering one in four dollars in 2030. They have $55 billion for a pipeline the private sector will not touch but not one extra dime for pharmacare, dental care or child care, and they admit they will not even come close to meeting their own housing targets. Will the finance minister explain why he is choosing the interests of big business over the welfare of working Canadians?”

“Mental illness costs our country nearly $200 billion a year. Covering mental health and addictions care under public health care would cost the federal government $4.9 billion a year. Instead, the Liberals gave $36 billion in tax breaks to businesses. People should pay for mental health care with their health card, not a credit card. I want the Conservatives to support our plan to cover this care.”

“Mr. Speaker, the mental health crisis touches everyone in this place. It touches every single family in this country. We need a compassionate, coordinated response where help is ready when people are ready. The Mental Health Commission of Canada puts the cost of mental illness at nearly $200 billion a year, or roughly 6% of our GDP. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates that ensuring mental health and addictions care under our universal public health care system would cost the federal government an average of $4.9 billion a year. Instead, what does the government do? The Liberals chose to provide $36 billion in business tax incentives over the next five years instead of addressing this crisis. Nation building is not just about what we build; it is about the people we invest in. Mental health is health. Do the Conservative leader and his party support our call for parity so Canadians can get the care they need? They should be getting care with their health card, not their credit card. People need help now. This is a national crisis.”

“The budget says it will end homelessness, but it does not spend enough money to do it. Will building 24,000 affordable homes a year actually end homelessness, or is this just another false promise?”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member a question about housing. The budget talks about the ambition of ending homelessness, yet the investment does not match that ambition. It talks about 24,000 units a year of non-market housing. Does the member think that kind of investment would actually end homelessness, or is it yet another false promise?”