A new poll commissioned by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) shows that most Canadians want the federal government to cut spending and reduce the size and cost of its bureaucracy.
“The poll shows most Canadians want the federal government to cut spending,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director.
“Canadians know they pay too much tax because the government wastes too much money.”
The Leger poll found that 43% of respondents support reducing federal spending over the next five years, while only 20% want to see spending increase. Another 16% want it maintained at current levels, and 20% were unsure.
Federal government spending has grown by 26% since 2019, even after adjusting for inflation. At the same time, the size of the federal bureaucracy has ballooned. Since 2016, Ottawa has added 108,000 bureaucrats and increased the overall cost of the public service by 73%.
When asked about the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy, 53% of Canadians said it should be reduced, 24% said it should remain the same, 4% supported an increase, and 19% were unsure.
The poll also gauged public trust in Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s recent pledge to balance the government’s operating budget within three years. Just 32% of Canadians said they were confident in Carney’s promise, while 58% expressed skepticism and 10% were undecided.
“Any politician that wants to fix the budget and cut taxes will need to shrink the size and cost of Ottawa’s bloated bureaucracy,” Haubrich said.
“The polls show Canadians want to put the federal government on a diet and they won’t trust promises about balancing the budget unless politicians present credible plans.”