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Finance

Question period dealt with the government’s recent budget and spring economic update, with questions focused on deficits, debt and the cost of living. Conservative members said the government is running large deficits and piling up debt, that interest payments now cost more than health transfers, and that spending is driving up housing, grocery and tax costs; they asked when the government would rein in spending. Government members replied that the plan is fiscally responsible, pointing to a reduction in the deficit, investments in skilled trades training and apprentices, support for building affordable homes, and a nearly $1-billion investment in small craft harbours in Newfoundland and Labrador, citing union leaders who support the measures.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

14 statements

Jasraj Hallan

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is creating record debt and spending more on interest than on health care for the provinces. I want to know why he is prioritizing bankers over Canadians.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Prime Minister is just another Liberal.”

    Said 22 times by 14 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is just another costly Liberal. He gave himself a gold medal for the highest deficit outside of COVID in Canadian history in his November budget. Yesterday, he gave himself a silver medal for having the second highest with his credit card budget. He spends more tax dollars on the interest on his debt than what goes to provinces in health care transfers. Why is the Liberal Prime Minister’s priority always to make bankers, bondholders and Brookfield richer?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“We are spending $6 billion to help people train for the skilled trades and help employers hire them. The opposition will probably vote against it.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have great news for skilled workers all across this country and everybody who wants to join the skilled trades. A $6-billion investment in getting people into the trades is helping apprentices right now to finish their training with up to $16,000 in support, while making sure employers have the support to hire those workers. In fact, Robert Kucheran from the Canada’s Building Trades Unions says that it “is a strong statement of support and respect for Canada’s skilled trades workers”. I guess they will vote against those workers too.

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Jasraj Hallan

Conservative
“This budget adds too much debt and spending. Canada has some of the worst unemployment, debt, and living costs in the G7. I want the Prime Minister to admit he cannot manage our money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, for a party that gave Canadians the second-highest unemployment in the entire G7, it is hard to believe those tradespeople will actually have a job after they graduate. This credit card budget has more debt, more costs, more spending and more taxes, all by the same old Liberals. Now Canadians have the highest food inflation, second-highest unemployment, highest consumer debt and highest housing costs in the entire G7. Will the costly Liberal Prime Minister just finally admit he is a worse money manager than Justin Trudeau was?

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Patty Hajdu

Liberal
“A building trades union leader says our plan helps workers, job training, and young people. The opposition votes against it anyway.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this is what Sean Strickland said. He is the executive director of Canada’s Building Trades Unions. He said, “Our members work hard, often far from home, to build Canada. Today’s measures will be felt at kitchen tables across the country.” He also said, “This announcement demonstrates a strong commitment to helping Canada Building Trades meet the moment by investing in increased capacity for...training...apprenticeship supports, and [support for]...youth”. No matter what idea and no matter who endorses it, they vote against it. Shame on them.

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Mark Strahl

Conservative
“The Prime Minister is doubling the deficit, which has led to high housing costs, expensive food, and weak economic growth. When will he stop this overspending so Canadians can afford homes and groceries?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, these same old costly Liberals have continued their decade of credit card budgeting: more costs, more debt, more taxes, more of the same. In fact, the costly Liberal Prime Minister is now doubling the Trudeau deficit. He is literally doubling down on the failures of the past, failures that have delivered the worst housing, worst food inflation and worst economic growth in the G7. When will the Liberal Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so Canadians can afford to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head?

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Gregor Robertson

Liberal
“Our spring financial update helps young Canadians. Up to 100,000 people will get job training to build affordable homes and communities.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives may be mired in the last decade or two of failure, this government is focused on the future and delivering today. This spring update has an incredible opportunity for young Canadians. Up to 100,000 Canadians will have access to training and support to build the affordable homes and community infrastructure that this country needs to build Canada strong.

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Mark Strahl

Conservative
“The Liberals have doubled the deficit and made gas, groceries, and housing cost more. Canadians cannot afford this. Why did the government do it?”

  • A repeated line

    “Forcing Canadians to pay more for gas.”

    Said 4 times by 4 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I understand why that minister would not want to talk about the past, given his horrendous record on housing in the city of Vancouver. It is the same old story with these same old Liberals. Even Liberal-friendly columnists like Andrew Coyne have finally taken notice, saying, “Canada’s New Government is no more interested in arresting our economic decline than Canada’s Old Government”. Canadians are maxed out. They cannot afford the same reckless Liberal policies of the last decade. Why have the Liberals doubled Justin Trudeau’s deficit, doubled down on costly credit card budgeting and forced Canadians to pay more for gas, groceries and housing?

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Gregor Robertson

Liberal
“Conservatives do not respect local, provincial, territorial, or Indigenous leaders. When I was mayor of Vancouver, the previous Conservative government gave us no support. Our government works with these leaders to build affordable housing.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, once again, Conservatives are attacking former mayors like they attack current mayors. They have no respect. For leaders of our cities and towns, leaders of our provinces and territories, leaders of our indigenous communities, they have zero respect. In my first seven years as a mayor in Vancouver, how much support did we get from the Harper Conservative government? Zero. This government is focused on partnering with cities, towns and indigenous communities and delivering the affordable housing we need.

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Scot Davidson

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government is spending too much money, including another $37 billion in this budget. This causes more debt, higher taxes, and higher prices for Canadians. Why is the government doing this?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of Liberal deficits, Canadians are screaming to make it stop, but the banker Prime Minister is not listening. He said they just got started as they pile on another $37 billion in spending, weakening our economy even more. This budget promises more costs, more taxes, more debt and more inflation for hard-working Canadians who are already maxed out. Why are Canadians paying the price for the Liberal government’s out-of-control spending?

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John Zerucelli

Liberal
“Our economic plan is good for the country. Union leaders say it helps skilled workers and trains people to build the projects Canada needs.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the member. We are optimistic about the future of our country. Let us hear from workers. Let us hear from Russ Shewchuk from the IBEW, who said that this economic statement “will super charge the Skilled Trades across Canada to help build and assist the much needed infrastructure and electrification of our country. It will transform apprenticeships in today’s technology, safety and training, meeting the moment to supply a workforce for Major Projects from coast to coast to coast.” That is how to build a Canada strong.

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Scot Davidson

Conservative
“Canadians are paying 59 billion dollars just in interest on the government's debt. That money is not being spent on hospitals, roads, or homes. Will the Prime Minister admit his spending hurts regular people while helping banks?”
Official Hansard

Strap in, Mr. Speaker, because Canadians are now paying $59 billion in interest on the debt. That money is not going toward hospitals, highways or homes. It is contributing to the highest household debt, most unaffordable housing and second-worst productivity and unemployment in the entire G7. The Liberals are so far behind, they think they are in first place. Will the Prime Minister admit that his costly credit card budget is rewarding bankers and lenders while making life harder for everyone else?

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John Zerucelli

Liberal
“Our government cut the deficit by $11 billion and is helping workers. A trade union leader says our plan strongly supports skilled trades and apprentices.”

  • A repeated line

    “That is how we build Canada strong.”

    Said 20 times by 14 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this new government is fiscally responsible, reducing the deficit by $11 billion. There has not been a single question today about workers. Let us hear from the workers. Let us hear from Marc Arsenault, the business manager for the building trades in Ontario. “The Federal Spring Economic Statement demonstrates that the Government is firmly committed to strengthening the skilled trades workforce at a time of economic uncertainty. The significant expansion of the Union Training Innovation Program including bricks-and-mortar investments for Red Seal trades, alongside enhanced incentive and completion grants and improved tracking, is a practical approach to supporting apprentices”. That is how to build Canada strong for all.

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Jonathan Rowe

Conservative
“Canada's debt has grown quickly under this Prime Minister. We now pay more on interest than on health care. I want the government to adopt a Conservative plan that spends less on debt interest and more on doctors.”

  • A repeated line

    “He is just another costly Liberal.”

    Said 6 times by 5 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, bankers make their money by having their clients enslaved to death, and the banker Prime Minister is no different. He is just another costly Liberal. They even said the quiet part out loud. On their graph, they show that Canada’s deficit-to-GDP ratio begins to skyrocket after the Prime Minister was appointed. Canadians now spend more money servicing the interest on Canada’s credit card than all of our federal health care payments. Will the Liberal government commit to a real Conservative fiscal plan that spends less on bankers and more on doctors?

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Joanne Thompson

Liberal
“We are investing nearly $1 billion in small craft harbours. The member should focus on this work instead of putting on a show, because it matters to people in Newfoundland and Labrador.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while the member opposite, the Conservative member from Newfoundland and Labrador, reads his prepared notes and likes his bit of theatre, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are interested in the nearly $1-billion investment in small craft harbours. That is just the beginning. It is time the member listens to his constituents and puts the work first. The theatrics can come at the school play.

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