Poilievre calls out Trudeau for admitting government spending causes inflation

Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre called out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Wednesday’s question period for admitting that his government spending is causing inflation. 

“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has had a revelation,” Poilievre told MPs in the House of Commons. 

“In an interview with the Halifax Chronicle Herald, he told how he responded to people asking for him to spend even more government money. And he said, and I quote, ‘As soon as you do that inflation goes up by exactly the same amount. Right?’” 

“Right!” declared Poilievre. 

“Why do you think spending money you don't have actually causes inflation? In the middle of having epiphanies, has he also realized that budgets don't balance themselves?” Poilievre asked. 

Trudeau responded that “the Conservative Party has been using that approach about concerns on inflation to stand against things like national food programs for kids, or dental care for seniors. They have stood and objected against and even campaigned against dental care for seniors over the past many months.”  

Trudeau then said that Poilievre’s and other conservatives’ point on more government spending was some “made up excuse around inflation.” 

Poilievre countered, saying, “He calls his own words a ‘made up excuse.’” He then continued, saying Trudeau had “finally for once thought about monetary policy. He said as soon as you spend more inflation goes up by exactly the same amount right. And he is right for once.” 

The Conservative leader added, “But repeating the same costly promises that he has already broken, does not change that fundamental monetary rule. So will the Prime Minister acknowledge that yes, the economy is about numbers that people pay their rent in numbers, their gas in numbers, their groceries in numbers and that the numbers are too high?”