Cabinet has three times in the past years failed to table a budget in time for the new fiscal year, according to Budget Officer Yves Giroux. He said a recurring date for tabling of federal budgets should be fixed by Parliament..“It hinders your ability to understand and scrutinize the government’s funding,” Giroux testified at the House Commons government operations committee. He added there was “no reason” to avoid a fixed budget date..According to Blacklock's Reporter, while the start of each fiscal year is fixed at April 1, this year’s budget was tabled April 7. It required Parliament on March 30 to pass a $75.5 billion spending bill to cover new expenses without first seeing cabinet plans..Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Windsor-Tecumseh, ON) challenged the feasibility of a fixed budget date. “This year Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24,” Kusmierczyk said. “Obviously things happen both around the world and domestically that require significant expenditure and attention.”.“If this rule was in place I would argue there wouldn’t have been time for the budget to respond to that major development, obviously,” Kusmierczyk said. "Your recommendation to have a fixed date for the budget — is that not too rigid?”.Giroux replied that it was "certainly one of the disadvantages of having fixed dates for budgets.".“It removes discretion on the part of the government. However, I would say even if a government has discretion — as governments have had for the last several decades — there is always a possibility of unforeseen events happening and throwing a monkey wrench into the fiscal plan of the government,” said Giroux..“For example when 9/11 happened, the government tabled a budget in December which was outside the normal cycle,” said Giroux. “There is always that possibility.”.While the cabinet in 2020 proposed to table its budget March 30, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic March 11. Cabinet cancelled that year’s tabling and instead borrowed an unprecedented $511.4 billion in 120 days..“We think that raising taxes would be exactly the wrong response to dealing with this sort of challenge,” then Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, told reporters on July 8, 2020. “We want to actually increase demand — demand from people. We want to ensure we put money into the economy.”.“Is it the intention of your government to table a budget?,” asked a reporter. “We can only use the information that we believe we actually have,” replied Morneau..“When do you think your government will finally balance the books? What year will that be?,” asked a reporter. “I’m not programmed in that way,” replied Morneau..Parliament has not balanced a budget since 2007.
Cabinet has three times in the past years failed to table a budget in time for the new fiscal year, according to Budget Officer Yves Giroux. He said a recurring date for tabling of federal budgets should be fixed by Parliament..“It hinders your ability to understand and scrutinize the government’s funding,” Giroux testified at the House Commons government operations committee. He added there was “no reason” to avoid a fixed budget date..According to Blacklock's Reporter, while the start of each fiscal year is fixed at April 1, this year’s budget was tabled April 7. It required Parliament on March 30 to pass a $75.5 billion spending bill to cover new expenses without first seeing cabinet plans..Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk (Windsor-Tecumseh, ON) challenged the feasibility of a fixed budget date. “This year Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24,” Kusmierczyk said. “Obviously things happen both around the world and domestically that require significant expenditure and attention.”.“If this rule was in place I would argue there wouldn’t have been time for the budget to respond to that major development, obviously,” Kusmierczyk said. "Your recommendation to have a fixed date for the budget — is that not too rigid?”.Giroux replied that it was "certainly one of the disadvantages of having fixed dates for budgets.".“It removes discretion on the part of the government. However, I would say even if a government has discretion — as governments have had for the last several decades — there is always a possibility of unforeseen events happening and throwing a monkey wrench into the fiscal plan of the government,” said Giroux..“For example when 9/11 happened, the government tabled a budget in December which was outside the normal cycle,” said Giroux. “There is always that possibility.”.While the cabinet in 2020 proposed to table its budget March 30, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic March 11. Cabinet cancelled that year’s tabling and instead borrowed an unprecedented $511.4 billion in 120 days..“We think that raising taxes would be exactly the wrong response to dealing with this sort of challenge,” then Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, told reporters on July 8, 2020. “We want to actually increase demand — demand from people. We want to ensure we put money into the economy.”.“Is it the intention of your government to table a budget?,” asked a reporter. “We can only use the information that we believe we actually have,” replied Morneau..“When do you think your government will finally balance the books? What year will that be?,” asked a reporter. “I’m not programmed in that way,” replied Morneau..Parliament has not balanced a budget since 2007.
