Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1  We now have monthly, tax-free cheques going out to families across the country. It is nearly a $30-billion program. Now, we know that Conservatives equal austerity, and they are going to need to come clean on their plan to cut vital programs for Canadians and hard-working Canadian families, much like the ones in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge.

Business of Supply  Canadians will have to choose between that and a potential government that would bring in an austerity agenda. Let us come clean. It would bring in an austerity agenda. What would that mean for Canadians? It would mean no dental care for seniors. It would mean cutting the Canada child benefit and raising the retirement age back to 67, when we lowered it to 65.

Main Estimates 2024-25  They have not been very specific at all, and they probably will not be, but they have not been shy about embracing an austerity agenda, so what would they cut? Would they cut the Canada child benefit that I just talked about? Would they cut dental care or child care? Would they cut any meaningful initiatives on dealing with the climate crisis?

Taxation  It took them eight weeks of struggle, but, at the end of the day, the Conservatives made the choice they always make. They are voting against fairness. They are voting in favour of austerity. They are voting in favour of their rich lobbyist friends. That is what they always do.

Carbon Pricing  We know it is important to pay for this in a fiscally responsible way, so we have a plan for tax fairness. However, the Conservatives prefer austerity and helping their wealthy pals. Tomorrow they are going to have to admit it.

The Economy  Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are relentlessly talking Canada down and concealing their austerity agenda. The reality is that Canada has added 1.3 million more jobs than we had before the pandemic. The Canadian economy is 104% the size it was before the pandemic, a rate of growth second, in the G7, only to the United States.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The difference between the Liberal approach and the Conservative attitude is clear. Conservatives are stuck in paternalistic thinking, combined with a spin of austerity. On our end, we focus on closing the gap through partnership and mutual respect. It's the right thing to do in the spirit of reconciliation, but it's also the only approach that works.

Finance committee  As Canadian households grapple with the effects of high interest rates and the overall economy continues to grow—very slowly, but growing—modestly stimulative and targeted fiscal measures, rather than fiscal austerity, can help sustain macroeconomic growth. Now, there's a common claim that a budget deficit runs counter to the goals of monetary tightening in trying to reduce inflation, and hence is contradictory, but that view is only valid if it is accepted that inflation is solely the result of a condition of excess aggregate demand.

Finance committee  Right now, we are dependent on other revenue sources, and with the economy and all of what we're facing from the global economic impacts coming out of COVID and from the transition through a time of austerity, we are so excited for and very much in support of student nutrition collaboration across the country to layer on supports for clubs like ours and for schools and community spaces that are providing alternative meal programs.

Taxation  We have more to do, but we are going to approach this in a responsible way, not like the other party with its austerity agenda.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about austerity. I think that the Barnfield family of four in Calgary can tell him all about austerity, because that is what they are living right now because of his housing hell, his carbon taxes, and his inflation.

Business of Supply  Despite the fact that my Conservative colleagues will clap when I cite their new slogan “common-sense Conservatives”, we in Ontario remember what the common-sense revolution of Conservatives was really all about. It was about cuts, about austerity and about privatization of services that should never have been in the hands of private companies, which led to seven deaths in Walkerton, Ontario. Therefore I am very concerned when I hear Conservatives go on about common sense, including the has-been doctor who is heckling me at the back of the room over there, including—

Business of Supply  That happens all the time. The provincial governments are forced to make budget cuts and adopt austerity measures to manage their health care system, while the federal government can balance its budget on the backs of the provinces. That is what happened repeatedly under Paul Martin's Liberal government, which made $2.5 billion in cuts in 1996 and 1997 and dismantled the entire health care system.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader just explained that his approach is austerity, and that is what causes Canadians to suffer. We chose to invest in supporting Canadians. For example, we are helping seniors with a dental care program. Just since the beginning of May, this program has helped over 100,000 seniors across the country get dental care.

Support for Quebec Businesses  Thanks to economic development agencies, we are supporting our businesses at a time when the Conservatives want to make cuts and bring back austerity. The Conservatives in Quebec should tell the businesses in their region that they want to cut financial support. We are going to make sure we create jobs and grow Quebec's economy.