Duncan Opposes NDP-Liberal Budget that Only Adds to Inflation and Debt

CORNWALL – Local Member of Parliament Eric Duncan (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry) reacted to the release of the 2022 federal government budget today by highlighting his opposition to the NDP and Liberal deal that will add $50 billion in new spending and continue high inflation levels.

“Canadians need to know that none of the new spending of the NDP-Liberal budget is being paid for, but it is being added to an already staggering $1.2 trillion in federal debt and a $52.8 billion deficit for 2022. There is literally no plan to ever balance the budget, but instead an additional $50 billion of new spending on the country’s credit card for someone else to figure out how to pay down the road.”

“In politics, it’s easy to say what you are going to spend money on. It’s another thing to explain how you would pay for it” added Duncan. “30-year high inflation and the rising cost of living are happening because of this high spending. The answer now is not adding to the crisis, but providing tax relief on high gas prices, getting the economy fully back open, and allowing more people to find jobs. This federal budget is not sustainable, and it does not make life more affordable for Canadians.”

While Duncan opposes the overall budget and spending policy of the Liberals and NDP, he did take the opportunity to note that the 2022 budget finally took up a long-standing Conservative idea regarding the banning of foreign buyers in the residential real estate market.

“For years, we have been calling for the government to ban foreign buyers entering the Canadian market and driving up prices further in an already red-hot housing market,” said Duncan. “While I worry that this proposal may be too late, as housing prices have already doubled in recent years, housing and rent prices continue to be major issues in our region. I want to see more details on that proposal but regardless, overall the Liberal housing strategy has been a disaster with every key metric getting worse in housing and rental markets- before, during, and now after the pandemic.”

The budget was tabled in the House of Commons at 4:00 PM today by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Unfortunately, the House adjourns on Friday for a two-week recess so Members of Parliament will not be able to ask the critical questions and hold the government to account in the House of Commons until late April.

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For more information:

Adrian Bugelli
Executive Assistant to Member of Parliament Eric Duncan
613-937-3331