Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has missed the 2024 deficit target by 17%, making debt-servicing charges the fastest-growing budget item. It is Small Business Week. Can members imagine if the CFO of a business spent the majority of the budget on paying debt? They would be replaced or the company would go bankrupt.
I recently did a post on my Facebook page asking for stories about my community of Peterborough—Kawartha, and I received hundreds of comments about businesses donating time and money to affordable housing, organizations and volunteers helping with the homelessness and opioid crises. A comment from Alan Clark really jumped off the page; he said that the community has done more than the government to help the people. That is so true. The most compassionate thing a leader can do is make life more affordable.
It is time for a government and a leader who know that budgets do not balance themselves. It is time for a leader who empowers small businesses, cuts the taxes and allows them to flourish and give to our community. Together, Conservatives will build a Canada that works for the people who do the work.