First, I want to thank my colleague, an economist and former Quebec finance minister with a lot of experience.
As you said, the new framework we presented is for moving towards transparency, to show Canadians the difference between operating expenditures and capital expenditures. People at home understand that very well. Thank you for clarifying that.
It is true that the International Monetary Fund and the OECD have commended Canada's work. Others did it as well, including England and Singapore. Other countries have chosen to follow our lead and are looking at the Canadian model, which is seen as a model that brings more transparency. As you said, the government is not cooking the books. The public accounts are the public accounts; the deficit is the deficit. All we are doing is making things clearer to allow for more transparency and consistency and help people fully understand where their money is going.
I think you are right to highlight this. Once she received all the information forwarded to her, the Parliamentary Budget Officer understood the distinctions very well. People watching at home want to understand what capital investment is. People understand that when we invest in infrastructure, bridges, roads or the renovation of health infrastructure, for example, it is very different from regular fiscal transactions.
I think being transparent is the right thing to do. That is exactly what people want. That is why I'm surprised to hear my Conservative colleagues oppose more transparency. We are giving more information, offering more transparency, and they're against it. It is kind of weird. I think people want a transparent government that sheds light on government investments and expenditures.
You are right to say that affordability is the number one challenge facing Canadians. There is what I often call the affordability pyramid. First, there is the cost of housing, meaning that people must be able to find affordable and safe housing. Second, there is the cost of food. Third, there is the cost of gas. I think if you look at a family budget, those are the three items that people are concerned about at the end of the week or at the end of the month.
We have taken action on all three.
First, you know as well as I do, Mr. Leitão, that in budget 2025, the government made generational investments in housing to provide more units, so that people can more easily find a place to live. It has had a positive impact. Just look at the cost of rent in major Canadian cities, for example, as well as the price of houses. There is a market adjustment. I think it's good for households.
Second, with regard to the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, as you said, nearly 12 million people will receive a payment today. That is excellent news. That is exactly what we need to do.
Third, and we will talk about it later, there is Bill C‑38, which proposes to extend the federal excise tax suspension on gasoline. That's more good news. That is equivalent to $0.10 on gas and $0.04 on diesel.
These are measures that help households and all sectors of the economy. Obviously, reducing the gas tax helps the economy in general, whether in agriculture or transportation, or when you use your vehicle to go to the office.
You are right about the series of measures the government put in place. I was looking at last spring's economic statement. Compared to other countries, Mr. Leitão, the government has adopted a series of important measures, whether it is the national school food program, the allocation—
