Central Alberta MPs, Calkins and Bailey, respond to federal budget

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“What concerns me most is the growing amount of taxpayer money being spent to pay the debt. Over the next five years, debt payments will climb from $60.2 billion to $85.5 billion. Imagine those billions of dollars going to the health care system: more hospitals, more doctors and specialists, additional MRI machines, and shorter wait times. Here in Central Alberta, patients are waiting far too long to see specialists and, in some cases, years for diagnostic imaging and treatment.’

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Central Alberta MPs, Calkins and Bailey, respond to federal budget

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Bailey, a first-term MP, is also skeptical of the number of permanent residents the feds intend to allow entry.

He added that he will continue to advocate for responsible federal spending, lower costs, and a sustainable immigration system, with investments that prioritize Canadians.

“Our focus must be on making life more affordable, strengthening our economy, improving access to health care, and ensuring our children and grandchildren don’t end up paying for the decisions we make today,” he said.

Calkins, the MP for Ponoka-Didsbury, said in his statement that the budget would be better titled ‘Masters of Debt and Interest Payments,’ rather than the Carney and [François-Philippe] Champagne-coined ‘Masters of Our Destiny.’

Calkins claims the budget will add $765 million over five years in new debt for Canadians to contend with.

“With all this money they are spending, what does our community here in Ponoka-Didsbury actually get in return? No commitment to reinstate funding for the Lacombe Research and Development Centre… no plan to repeal the West Coast oil tanker ban that continues to hold back Alberta’s energy sector,” Calkins lamented.

“Instead of supporting farmers, ranchers, energy workers, and small businesses that drive our regional economy, the Liberals are saddling Central Albertans with even more debt and taxes.”

A long-time MP, Calkins also claims Carney is obscuring hundreds of billions of additional debt by using three credit sources — operational deficits, capital debt, and Crown corporations.

He said that our children and grandchildren will be left footing the bill.

“That is why I will be voting no to this costly, inflationary budget that will saddle families in Central Alberta and across Canada with multi-generational debt.”