Thank you, Minister, for attending today.
According to the infrastructure department's plan, projected departmental expenses are going up by $2 billion in this fiscal year when compared with spending in 2022 and 2023. That would represent a 25% increase in planned spending from the year before. In addition, it would represent an increase of 75% in the department's budget from just three years ago. To put it in dollar figures, you are planning to drive up spending by $2 billion this fiscal year and within three years, the department has increased its planned spending by $4.1 billion.
That's a massive increase and this increase is coming at a time when Canadians are struggling with groceries or struggling with bills. It seems extremely disconnected from the Canadian public and out of touch with fiscal reality.
My question to you is, when everybody else is tightening up and Canadians are facing such financial stress, do you think it's fair to plan a massive increase of your department's spending, in the sum of billions, which will increase the inflationary pressures on Canadians?