Chilliwack/Ottawa – Mark Strahl, Member of Parliament for Chilliwack—Hope released the following statement in response to the 2026 Spring Economic Update.
“On April 28, Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his costly credit card budget that will double the deficit that Justin Trudeau left behind.
“This means more costs, more taxes, more debt, and more inflation for Canadians. Carney promised to lower debt-to-GDP ratio, but the reality is that under his watch direct program spending is up 12.4 per cent. Outside of the pandemic, this Liberal Prime Minister is running the biggest deficit in history.
“Canadians are now paying $59 billion in debt interest, up 10 per cent in just one year, and it is now more than the government spends on health care transfers and more than GST revenues.
“Every Canadian family will spend $3400 in interest on the federal debt as the Carney Liberals show no signs of fiscal responsibility:
- Net new spending announced yesterday alone is $37 billion.
- Carney’s new sovereign wealth fund has no wealth, but it does now have a transition office to set up an eventual permanent office which will one day borrow from the national credit card to set up a fund.
- There is $3 billion more for international climate finance — the same money scheme this Prime Minister used to enrich himself at Brookfield and through his now-bankrupt Net Zero Alliance.
- $11 million for the same meeting with investors that Trudeau had a decade ago.
- $2.3 billion to subsidize foreign electric vehicles.
“Canada should be the richest, most affordable country on earth, yet Carney’s own economic update predicts growth will drop and inflation will rise this year.
“Under this Liberal Prime Minister, Canada now has the G7’s highest household debt, most unaffordable housing, lowest investment per worker, second-worst productivity, and second-highest unemployment.
“Conservatives believe affordability at home and strength abroad are key to building a self-reliant Canada and we have the clear plan to get there:
- Affordable and abundant energy: Get rid of energy taxes, repeal anti-development laws, and rapidly approve projects to lower the cost of energy.
- Low inflation and taxes: Balance the budget, keep spending low, and keep our money strong by not printing money to spend it.
- Free market competition: Cut corporate welfare, remove the capital gains tax to promote reinvestment in Canada, and cut the taxes on work, investment, home building and energy.
- National self-reliance: Pass the Canadian Sovereignty Act, to repatriate production to our country and make Canada a magnet of economic activity so that we’re always able to provide for ourselves.
“Conservatives have warned that the Carney Liberals’ deficits drive up costs, weaken our economy, and leave Canadian families paying the bill.
“We will continue to offer a plan that will make Canada self-reliant again, removing Liberal barriers and unleashing Canadian potential so we can build a country that is affordable and secure at home, and unbreakable abroad,” said Strahl.
