Call comes after new PBO Report shows lack of transparency and billions in missing revenue in recent Liberal budget

 

Ottawa, ON – Today The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament for Carleton and Official Opposition Critic for the Treasury Board, is alarmed at the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s concerns over the Liberal government’s 2016 budget.

 

“I am deeply concerned with the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s findings that the government has not been transparent in its reporting of Canada’s finances. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has concluded that the budget simply does not contain enough information for Canadians or Parliament to know that the government is spending their money properly.

 

“This is a question of competency. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the Liberals over-estimated the number of jobs their measures would create by 57,000 jobs – and that does not include how many jobs they will kill with policies like raising taxes on small businesses. They magically make $6 billion in government revenues disappear for now so that it can miraculously reappear at year’s end, at which time they will use it to keep the deficit below the current inflated targets. In reality, they promised a $10 billion deficit and it will likely be twice that amount.

 

“The Parliamentary Budget Officer makes it quite clear that Parliament cannot do its job because the government does not have the numbers. It is clear the government does not want Canadians to have the information to be able to see how much the government is spending and where that money is going. This is a damning report against the Liberals’ budget.

 

“The Liberals promised to be open and transparent, but the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report shows they have been anything but,” concluded Poilievre.

 

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To read the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report, click here.