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By Chad Klassen

FEDERAL BUDGET

McLeod has questions about Liberal COVID-19 spending, ongoing restrictions

Mar 23, 2021 | 3:35 PM

KAMLOOPS — When this year’s budget is tabled in a month’s time, the Liberal government will face many questions.

When the last budget was presented in 2019, the projected federal deficit for the 2020-21 fiscal year was $19 billion. Since the pandemic, the numbers are now at $381 billion with the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on COVID-19 relief.

“I think it’s important to recognize that all parties supported the urgent spending that was done,” Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod said. “Business absolutely needed support. Individuals needed support. But what we will question is if [the Liberals] say we need $100 billion for new stimulus, it’s going to be, ‘Why? What? Is it going to be effective?'”

On Tuesday (March 23), Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the 2021 budget will be tabled April 19. It’s the first such budget in two years, delayed by the Liberals last year due to COVID-19.

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McLeod is more than relieved to see the true numbers revealed.

“Other countries have managed budgets, but this government has had two years, an extraordinary amount of spending, and very limited transparency and accountability,” she said. “This is the least they can do… what’s important is what’s in the budget.”

It’s expected there will be more financial supports announced for individuals and businesses. McLeod wants the economy and travel slightly opened with more people across the country being vaccinated.

“I asked that question to the minister. I said ‘we have people getting vaccinated. Other countries have plans. If someone is fully vaccinated, you’ve got data now. What are you going to do in terms of recommendations, guidelines?'” McLeod asked.

She pointed to tourist operators in the Thompson region and across the country who are starving for business and need to have a plan. McLeod noted it’s about allowing people, if vaccinated, to travel more freely.

“The restrictions on his ability to move back and forth, again with vaccinations and negative tests. When are they going to change that? What are they going to do? Those are the questions that I think need to be answered.”