The federal budget unveiled Tuesday, March 28 by the Liberal government is adding to inflation by hiking taxes and increasing spending, according to Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek Conservative Member of Parliament Kelly Block.
“After eight years of Justin Trudeau everything feels broken, and Canadians are struggling,” said Block. “Justin Trudeau’s inflationary taxes and spending have created a cost-of-living crisis that is hurting the hard-working people of this country.”
Prior to Budget 2023’s release, Conservatives demanded that it must work for the people who work.
Block said the Conservatives had three simple demands:
1. Bring home lower prices by ending the inflationary deficits and spending.
2. Bring home powerful paycheques with lower taxes and scrap the carbon tax so hard work pays off again.
3. Bring homes people can afford by removing government gatekeepers to free up land and speed up building permits.
The budget delivered by Finance Minister Freeland on March 28 met none of these demands, said Block.
“It is a $43 billion bonanza of new inflation, debt and taxes and more costs on the backs of the hard-working and beleaguered people of this country,” she said.
Block noted that in this Liberal Budget, there is no path to balance in the budget projections.
“The deficit for 2022-2023 is up to $43 billion,” she said. “In 2023-2024 the deficit is projected to be $40.1 billion. Whereas previously, the Fall Economic Statement delivered in November of last year projected a $4.5 billion surplus in 2027-2028. Budget 2023 projects a $14 billion deficit in 2027-2028, which is as far as the projections go.”
Block said that a year ago, Minister Freeland said she was ‘absolutely determined that our debt-to-GDP ratio must continue to decline. Our deficits must continue to be reduced…This is our fiscal anchor. This is a line we shall not cross. It will ensure that our finances remain sustainable.’
“However, yesterday Justin Trudeau crossed that line with Canada’s debt-to-GDP ratio set to rise this coming fiscal year,” said Block. “This is important as the cost of servicing Canada’s enormous debt continues to grow. This fiscal year (2023-2024), the interest payments are projected to be $43.9 billion. This is nearly double the costs in 2021-2022.”
While the Liberals’ war on work continues, Conservatives are working for those who work.
“While this Liberal government continues with its high spending, inflation has hit 40-year high’s destroying Canadians savings,” said Block, “Canadians are losing their homes and hundreds of thousands more are using foodbanks. Conservatives will continue to advocate for policies that will result in lower prices, paycheques, and the removal of bureaucratic gatekeepers that stifle housing and economic growth.”
Canadians cannot afford the pressure and the bills that this Prime Minister has imposed after eight long years. This budget makes all those pressures, all those pains, and all those costs even worse. Canadians are hurting and this government is refusing to take responsibility.
Conservatives will vote against Justin Trudeau’s inflationary budget.