QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Fiscal Update
November 19, 2020
My question is also for the government leader. Leader, I realize this question was raised earlier this week when Minister Freeland appeared in the chamber during a Committee of the Whole. However, since we didn’t get much of an answer — in fact, we got really nothing of an answer — I wish to give you the opportunity to give us a better answer than she could. Hopefully, you can provide us with the information.
The minister has repeatedly said that she would be providing a fall fiscal update. The former finance minister, Bill Morneau, had a habit of presenting the government’s long-term fiscal projections on the Friday before Christmas, after Parliament had risen. Canadians were understandably paying a little less attention.
Last year, minister Morneau released a 2019 economic and fiscal update on December 16, three days after the House of Commons rose before the Christmas break.
Leader, are you able to get a commitment from your government that the economic update will be presented while Parliament is still sitting this fall?
Thank you, senator. I aim to please, but I fear I might disappoint you. I certainly don’t know at what date the government will be releasing the fiscal update. The minister indicated in this chamber that it would be in the fall, and the calendar tells us when the fall ends. I will certainly make inquiries as to when we can expect that, and I will provide this chamber with the best information that’s provided to me.
Hopefully, you will be a little more committed to that task than the minister is. I asked her for written responses to many of my questions before we approved Bill C-9 , to date — and she still has a few hours left — but so far I haven’t received one of them.
Leader, I look at the parliamentary calendar, and I can’t help but be concerned that the government will hide this very important economic update in the shadows of the Christmas holidays. Leader, can you tell us if the government will be the Grinch that stole Christmas again this year?
Thank you for the question. One is tempted to make light, to respond in kind, but my sense of humour fails me sometimes.
The truth is that this is a difficult time. Christmas and the holidays will be a difficult time for all Canadians and the families who are, first of all, struggling to know what the rules are going to be in their particular provinces, regions and municipalities, but, more importantly, still worrying about the growing wave of the virus that is upon us.
The government remains committed to supporting Canadians through this difficult time, and though one cannot promise as festive a season — we’re in the season of lights as well, and Diwali — the government will do its best to ease the burden on Canadians through these difficult times.
