Prime Minister Mark Carney boasted in the Commons that he is “a great tax and budget expert” while refusing to disclose how large this year’s deficit has grown, despite warnings from the Parliamentary Budget Office that it is already “absolutely higher” than promised.Blacklock's Reporter says Carney faced repeated questions from Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, who pressed him to state the size of the deficit halfway through the fiscal year. Instead, Carney deflected by pointing to a November 4 budget date. “Yes, I am a great tax and budget expert,” Carney said when challenged.Poilievre accused the Liberals of hiding the real figure after adding $40 billion in new spending since April 1. “Surely if he is such an expert he would know the size of his own deficit,” Poilievre said..Cabinet had projected a $42.2 billion shortfall, but interim Budget Officer Jason Jacques told MPs the true number is already billions higher, blaming new tariffs and higher spending.Jacques criticized the government for failing to table a budget at the start of the fiscal year, noting no financial documents have been released since December 16.“If the government wants to take 10 months before they put up an Excel spreadsheet, that’s great for us,” Jacques said, adding his office will release its own five-year forecast next week.
