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Finance

Question period focused on the government’s spring economic update and its fiscal record. Conservative members said the update doubles the previous prime minister’s deficits, adds billions in interest costs, and makes groceries, gas and housing unaffordable, and asked whether the government plans to sell public assets such as airports to fund a new sovereign wealth fund. Liberal ministers replied that Canada has the strongest fiscal position and lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, that wages are outpacing inflation, and pointed to tax cuts, grocery relief, major energy and mining projects, and the new sovereign wealth fund. Several exchanges on both sides also turned into general talking points rather than specific answers to the questions asked.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

15 statements

Leslyn Lewis

Conservative
“The government's new update shows deficits are growing. News reports say the government might sell public assets like airports to pay for a new fund. I want the Prime Minister to tell us how many public assets he plans to sell to cover his spending.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this week’s economic update proves that nothing has changed. In fact, the Prime Minister has doubled Justin Trudeau’s soaring deficits and is also doubling down on 10 years of costly credit card budgeting. Now the media reports that the government is considering recycling capital from public assets like airports to put into the new so-called wealth fund. I ask this Prime Minister, how much of Canada’s public assets does he plan to sell to fund more wasteful Liberal spending?

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Rechie Valdez

Liberal
“Canada's economy is strong. Wages are rising faster than prices, and we have the lowest debt compared to our economy among G7 countries. We are also helping young people get skilled trade jobs.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 45 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis

  • A repeated line

    “We have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7.”

    Said 17 times by 13 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, despite the headwinds we are experiencing here in Canada, Canada has a strong fiscal position. Let us take a look at the facts. Wages are up by 4.7%, outpacing inflation. We have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We are creating pathways for young Canadians, making sure they have skilled jobs, specifically 100,000 Red Seal skilled jobs. We are doing that while bringing Canadians along with our Canada Strong fund. This is the way we build a country strong, and we are going to do that with Canadians.

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Leslyn Lewis

Conservative
“The Prime Minister's high spending has doubled deficits, and Canadians cannot afford groceries. Now the government wants to sell off public assets to fund more debt. Does the Prime Minister realize his spending is causing higher debt and costs?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has doubled Trudeau’s deficits, and now Canadians are lining up at food banks and are unable to afford groceries. Now the Liberals want to sell off national infrastructure and put the money into their sovereign debt fund. We have seen this before with the failed Infrastructure Bank, which is losing money and is built on deficits. Does this Prime Minister understand that his spending spree is leaving Canadians with more debt and higher costs?

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Rechie Valdez

Liberal
“Our spring budget plan helps workers and young people. It makes life more affordable and creates a public wealth fund. We are also funding big energy and mining projects in Ontario to make the country stronger.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 19 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 85 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “I do not know what she has against our Major Projects Office”.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, with our spring economic update, what we are doing is supporting workers and young Canadians. We are making sure that life is more affordable for Canadians. We are building strong and safer communities, and again, introducing a sovereign wealth fund to make sure that Canadians can have direct access to the success of Canada. That member is from Ontario. I do not know what she has against our Major Projects Office, which is building the Darlington nuclear project in Bowmanville and Canada Nickel’s Crawford project. These are just some of the investments we are making here in this province, and that is the way we are going to build our country strong.

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Andrew Lawton

Conservative
“The new Prime Minister is still spending too much money and has doubled the deficit. Why is the government pretending things have improved?”

  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Respect 75 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “the only things that have changed are the colour of the Prime Minister's socks”.

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  • Opposition question in Question Period

    Signal 26 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

    See full analysis

  • A repeated line

    “The Prime Minister doubled Justin Trudeau's deficit.”

    Said 10 times by 10 members since April 27.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say this is a new government, but the only things that have changed are the colour of the Prime Minister’s socks and the size of the deficit. This Liberal Prime Minister has doubled Justin Trudeau’s deficit, maxing out the country’s credit card and forcing Canadians to pay more to bankers and bondholders rather than roads and hospitals. Even The Globe and Mail sees through this, saying, “it’s clear that the Liberals have no intention of changing their high-spending ways.” Maybe that is why the Liberals are sending more money to the media in their fiscal update. Why is the costly Liberal government pretending that “new” means “improved”?

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Wayne Long

Liberal
“Our spring economic update shows Canada has the strongest finances in the G7. We are also creating an investment fund for Canada. The opposition needs to help us build a strong economy.”

  • A repeated line

    “We are going to build the strongest economy in the G7.”

    Said 15 times by 6 members since April 23.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, while that party doubles down on offering nothing for Canadians, we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7. We just tabled the spring economic update, which confirms that we have the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We also announced the sovereign wealth fund, which will spark massive investment in our country, a fund by Canada for Canadians. It is time for that party to get off the sidelines and help us build Canada strong.

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Andrew Lawton

Conservative
“The government spends too much money, and it makes life too expensive for Canadians. Why should Canadians have to pay for the Prime Minister's spending?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I wish that member were laser-focused on answering a question for once. This budget proves that nothing has changed: the same Liberal excuses, the same Liberal spending addiction, the same Liberal credit card, just with a much higher limit. Canadians are paying more for groceries, more for rent, more in taxes, while this Prime Minister doubles down on the same failed borrow-and-spend policies that gave Canada the worst inflation in 40 years. I have a simple question: Why should Canadians be forced to make the credit card payments for this Prime Minister’s reckless spending?

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Wayne Long

Liberal

Linked statement

“We are working to make life cheaper and grow the economy. We cut taxes, helped with grocery costs, and cut fuel taxes by 28 cents. Our finances are strong, and we have the right leader for the job.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 27 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Respect 82 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “a leader who has never worked a day outside of this House”.

    See full analysis

  • A repeated line

    “We are focused on building the strongest economy in the G7.”

    Said 3 times by 2 members since April 30.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, he may say we give the same answers, but they hand the same questions around from member to member. We are focused on building the strongest economy in the G7. We are focused on making life more affordable for Canadians. At home, we are cutting taxes. We just launched the groceries and essentials benefit. We just cut the federal excise tax on fuel. Combined with the carbon tax cut, that is 28¢. Our spring economic update confirms our fiscal position is strong. We have the leader to build Canada strong. They have a leader who has never worked a day outside of this House.

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Rachael Thomas

Conservative
“The government's high spending and taxes are making life too expensive for Canadians. People cannot afford their groceries, gas, or housing. I want the government to admit it has failed Canadians and promise to do better.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised a “new government”, but we do in fact see more of the same. We see more costly spending, more taxes and, ultimately, more prices to pay for Canadians. Whether it is the grocery store or the gas at the pumps or their mortgages that they’re trying to pay month to month, Canadians are struggling to make ends meet because of the costly policies of the government. The only thing that these costly Liberals seem to be interested in balancing, of course, is their political spin, which is exactly what we are seeing today. Will they admit that they, in fact, have failed Canadians and promise to do better going forward?

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Corey Hogan

Liberal
“Do not believe the opposition. Our economy is doing well. Trade is up, wages are beating inflation, and we created more jobs than the U.S. did last year. House prices, rents, and inflation are down, and Canada has the strongest finances in the G7.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 95 of 100

    Of this answer, 96% addressed the question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the more precise they try to sound, the more Canadians should be deeply suspicious of their claims, because they zoom in when the world view does not actually reflect anything they are talking about here. Let us talk about the facts: 20 trade and security deals have made a 40% increase in non-U.S. trade; wages are growing faster than inflation; we created more jobs than the U.S. last year; house prices are down; rents are down; overall inflation has been within bounds for months and months; the MOU with Alberta has created durable climate action, new energy production and record production in Alberta; and we do all that with the strongest fiscal position in the G7. Welcome back to reality.

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Rachael Thomas

Conservative
“The government has doubled the deficit. This huge debt hurts Canadian families, seniors, and students who are already struggling. The government can fix this, and I want to know why it keeps spending so much.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us focus on the facts. The Liberals are spending so much that they have actually doubled Trudeau’s deficit. That is quite the accomplishment, because Trudeau’s deficit, of course, was massive in nature, historic, in fact, so the fact that the government has doubled it is quite something. The reason this matters so much is not that they spent so much money, but that they did it and incurred debt, and that debt lands on the backs of Canadians, whether it is families or seniors or students, who are doing their very best to make ends meet. The government can do something about it, so why does it insist on being an incredibly costly, ineffective Liberal government?

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Corey Hogan

Liberal
“Canada's economy is doing well compared to other rich countries, even with wars and trade disputes in the world. We have strong economic growth, our government finances are in great shape, and we are investing in families. I want the opposition to support our plan.”

  • A repeated line

    “We have the strongest fiscal position in the G7.”

    Said 7 times by 7 members since April 30.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to run through the list again. I am not sure they would be so happy to hear it. However, let us talk about this. In a time when we have global strife, wars in Iran and Ukraine and trade wars with the United States, Canada is standing at the top of the pack. We are number two in economic growth in the G7. We have the strongest fiscal position in the G7. We are investing in families and communities. There is so much that we need to do, and we are just getting started. We welcome the members opposite to get on board with us all.

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Cathay Wagantall

Conservative
“The government's new budget spends too much money and adds too much debt. Young Canadians will be stuck paying off billions of dollars in debt and interest. I want the government to explain what Canadians gained from all this debt.”

  • A repeated line

    “This costly credit card budget means more debt.”

    Said 8 times by 7 members since April 29.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this costly credit card budget means more debt, more costs, more spending, more taxes, more of the same. Out-of-control deficits have taken the breath away from working Canadians with $407 billion in interest over the next six years. Nothing has changed, and nothing will change for the future of today’s 18-year-old first-time voters if the government is not stopped dead in its tracks. By 2031, they will be the workforce, facing an additional $462 billion in national debt. What have Canadians gained from the Liberals doubling Trudeau’s deficit and charging the next generation with their credit card budgeting? Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“I want to talk about what happened because of the spring economic update.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 0 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that as a result of the spring economic update— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Buckley Belanger

Liberal
“Saskatchewan has many resources and people to help build Canada. Do not expect our government to be perfect, but compare us to our opponents.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 25 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 39 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan is proud to be part of Canada, and Canadians know that Saskatchewan offers much: oil, gas, potash, gold, uranium, copper, people, energy and ideas. Now that we know we can all build Canada together, I remind Canadians not to compare us to perfection, but to compare us to the other guys. I have done some research on whether—

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