Oxford MP raises concerns about lack of budget

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the House of Commons prepares to go into summer recess, Canadians are still waiting for a plan on how the government will be spending their money.

Oxford MP Arpan Khanna pointed out the government initially said it would not be releasing a budget in calendar 2025, but since amended that to release a fall budget.

Technically, Canada hasn’t had a budget since March 31. With the exception of Covid, Khanna said the last time Canada went this long without a budget was more than 20 years ago

“It’s just Canadians need to know where that money will be spent,” he said.

As an interim measure, prior to the House of Commons breaking for the summer, MPs will be asked to vote on an estimates bill that will approve a half-trillion dollars in spending.

“There is very, very little detail where the money is going,” Khanna said of the estimates bill. “From what we’ve extrapolated, we’ve been able to identify some areas where they’re spending money. For example, they’re spending the money that goes to outside consultants.”

Providing more detail, Khanna said the previous year the government spent about $19 billion on outside consultants. This amount has now been increased to $26 to $27 billion.

“In the last Parliament we saw that money was spent on Liberal insiders, for example GC Strategies where they gave money to the contractors for the ArriveScan app, and now we’re back in Parliament trying to figure out where the $100 million went,” he said. “We’re learning from the Auditor General, it was only a two-man company that barely did any work, and skill sets weren’t there for that work.”

Although there are provisions for a new government to operate for a time without a budget, Khanna pointed to the rhetoric that Prime Minister Mark Carney would be a man with a plan and a budget, as he was a banker.

”Just like Canadians can’t run a household without a budget, and business can’t run without a budget, the government can’t do that either,” he said. “They’re just pushing these bills through and getting these estimates through without much scrutiny.

“A half-trillion dollars of spending without oversight is problematic.”

Although the last day of scheduled sittings is June 20, Khanna said his party has indicated they are willing to sit longer into the summer to get business done.

From what Khanna has seen, the government is not on top of the files. He pointed to a question he asked on immigration where the minister didn’t have the details to answer the question.

“Every day we are asking questions, and tough questions, and not getting good answers,” he said.

The Conservatives are not likely supporting the estimates bill, Khanna said. Any finance bill is a confidence motion, meaning if it doesn’t pass, Canadians will be back at the polls. Khanna doesn’t think that will happen and one of the opposition parties will provides the extra few votes needed to pass the legislation.

The Oxford MP did emphasize his party will support good legislation. He gave the example of Bill C-5, which will aid in building the economy and taking down inter-provincial trade barriers, and that the Conservatives supported it.

He said many other bills have “poison pills” – a term used for legislation that has good points, but also bad measures. Those bills he said, will be scrutinized in Parliament.