PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU SAYS TENS OF BILLIONS IN NEW SPENDING MEASURES THE LIBERALS ARE PROPOSING FOR FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES WILL BE PUT TO A VOTE THAT COULD RISK TOPPLING HIS GOVERNMENT.
PM challenges opposition over new spending
OTTAWA • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says tens of billions in new spending measures the Liberals are proposing for families and businesses will be put to a vote that could risk toppling his Liberal minority government.
Speaking outside his Ottawa residence Tuesday, Trudeau said a vote on the fall economic statement will be one that will test the confidence the House of Commons has in his government.
Failure to gather the necessar y suppor t during such a vote would mean the minority government falls, which could plunge the country into a federal election contest.
“I am reasonably confident that none of the opposition parties wants an election right now. We certainly don’t want one,” Trudeau told reporters. “We want to get these supports out to Canadians. And there are certainly things in this fall economic statement that every party should be able to support in terms of helping Canadians.”
The Liberals’ fall economic statement Monday proposed just over $25 billion in new spending to top up and expand existing programs and create new, targeted support for hard-hit industries.
Spending to date is putting the federal deficit on track to reach $381.6 billion this year, but the government’s math says it could close in on $400 billion if widespread lockdowns return in the coming weeks.
Provinces say the proposal still falls well short of what is needed to properly fund their systems, not including the added costs associated with COVID-19.
“The obvious question that Canadians are asking is what is more important than a sustainable healthcare system, especially in the middle of a global pandemic?” said Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips.
Trudeau said he planned to hear out the provinces about their needs during and after the pandemic, but wouldn’t commit to added spending.
The document showed health transfers to provinces will rise to $43.1 billion next year from $41.9 billion this year, as part of a prearranged three per cent annual increase.
Provinces say annual cost increases are closer to six per cent. They want the federal government to boost its share of health-care funding by an extra $28 billion this year with annual increases of $4 billion thereafter.
The Liberals argue they’ve sent plenty to the provinces for pandemic-related measures, totalling $24 billion for things like contact tracing and testing . to support health-care systems across the country.