QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Fiscal Accountability
June 4, 2025
Again, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
The 2025-26 Main Estimates highlight a concerning trend in how the federal government is spending and managing. Nearly half of all government expenditures now require annual parliamentary approval — up sharply from roughly one third a decade ago. This growth in voted spending signals a heavy reliance on short-term programs rather than stable statutory frameworks. Canadians see the consequences — less predictability, more bureaucracy — and there is growing difficulty for provinces and stakeholders to plan with confidence.
Leader, why is your government prioritizing temporary, often narrowly targeted initiatives over the long-term fiscal stability and planning that Canadians deserve? Canadians got a new Liberal Prime Minister, but it seems like he’s still embracing old Liberal habits.
You’ll forgive me if I return the compliment by saying there’s some rather old Conservative talking points embedded in your question.
It’s a serious question: How does the government manage our affairs, and how does the Canadian government navigate itself? This government has been crystal clear about its focus on major projects of national importance to help build this economy into one of the strongest, if not the strongest economy in the G7. More important than where we rank among countries will be the services and the advantages that it will provide to Canadians.
The work is only now beginning, but it’s beginning with rapidity and urgency. By working in partnership with premiers, stakeholders, Indigenous leaders and business and union leaders, this government is focused on long-range projects that will build better jobs — indeed, better careers — for generations of Canadians. That’s what Canadians expect from this government, that’s why they elected this government and that’s what this government will do.
Senator Gold, I don’t want to get into a match here about who is using talking points better. The bottom line is that the opposition is asking very legitimate questions about planning, stability and transparency when it comes to finances. We should not delegitimize that by calling them “talking points.”
Government leader, a jump in voted spending was understandable during the pandemic — we were even cooperative — but one would expect the numbers to return to normal after these programs were discontinued. Instead, the trend has worsened.
Why is the government governing with stopgap measures and reactive budgeting instead of providing the steady, responsible and transparent financial stewardship that Canadians have the right to expect and which they had in the past, once upon a time?
I never have, I never will and I did not — in my response — call into question the legitimacy of those questions. I think Hansard will show that I validated the importance of the questions. It’s simply that this government is focused on moving Canada forward through bold and important measures that will provide, if successful, a structural impetus toward a sustainable and stable economic future for all Canadians.
