For Immediate Release/April 16, 2024 – Barrie-Innisfil Member of Parliament John Brassard and Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte Member of Parliament Doug Shipley announced today that they cannot support the federal budget tabled Tuesday by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
“This budget continues the Liberal government’s troubling trend of escalating costs and economic mismanagement,” said MP John Brassard. “By adding another $40 billion in new deficit spending, Justin Trudeau is saddling each family in this country with $2,400 in new debt and taxpayers will spend $46.5 billion this year servicing Trudeau’s debt—more than the federal government’s annual commitment to the provinces for health care.”
“That is why Conservatives will vote against this inflationary budget that will only increase the already heavy burden on Canadians.”
To combat the damage caused by Trudeau’s eight years of economic mismanagement, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made three critical demands to fix the budget:
- Axe the Tax on Farmers and Food: Immediately pass Bill C-234 in its original form to alleviate financial strain on farmers and the food industry.
- Build Homes, Not Bureaucracy: Ensure that cities permit 15% more home building each year as a condition for receiving federal infrastructure funding.
- Cap Spending: Introduce a dollar-for-dollar rule, requiring the government to find a dollar in savings for every new dollar of spending.
However, the Liberal government rejected calls to cap spending and bring down inflation and interest rates, and instead presented a budget that will further fuel inflation and cause a significant strain on Canadian families.
With housing a top priority for Canadians, the Liberal housing strategy will cost taxpayers billions and will not make housing more affordable or attainable. In fact, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports the annual pace of housing starts in March declined seven per cent compared with February.
“The housing crisis is a direct result of policy and leadership failures by the federal government,” said MP Doug Shipley. “After eight years in power, the Liberal government has done little to address this critical issue. Photo opportunities won’t build the 5.8 million homes necessary to restore housing affordability for Canadians.
“Canadians deserve a government that can provide relief through strong paycheques, lower taxes, and increased housing availability and only a Conservative government can deliver the changes Canadians desperately need.”
