The urgency to make choices is not there!

QUÉBEC, the 22 nov. 2024 /CNW/ – In the budget update presented today, the anticipated deficit for the year 2024-2025 is maintained at $11 billion, as forecast in the government's budget of March 12.

However, the Minister of Finance took $750 million from the contingency provision, despite economic activity being more dynamic than expected. Not to mention the increase in capital gains taxes, which further increases the stifling tax burden. This therefore means that in comparable terms, the situation has deteriorated.

In addition, the government is introducing controls which themselves generate negative effects, or even additional costs in the medium term. We are postponing, suspending or slowing down capital infrastructure projects by invoking the “shift in the pace of infrastructure construction” to make savings. This concept – absent from the last budget – would explain the crisis that CEGEPs are currently experiencing in several regions of Quebec.

The big absentee: where is the review of program spending?

As for the examination of tax expendituresunder the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, the effort is clearly visible in this budgetary update. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the examination of program spendingunder the responsibility of the President of the Treasury Board. No savings have yet been identified.

The choices to be made do not seem urgent for the government. But time is running out! Quebecers feel that they are not getting value for money from dysfunctional public services. And today's deficits will be the burden of future generations.

“After eight months of work, Quebecers deserved more clarity on the path to follow towards a balanced budget. Including the insidious mechanism of 'lag in the pace of infrastructure construction'. The current government, which wanted to be the party of change, is proving incapable of questioning the status quo! », denounces Youri ChassinMember of Parliament for Saint-Jérôme.

Let us remember that the imperatives of sound management of public finances, of providing efficient public services and of adopting prudent and rigorous management of the State were part of the constituent soul of the CAQ, still in 2018.

SOURCE Independent MPs

Press release sent on November 22, 2024 at 3:33 p.m. and distributed by: