Liberal MP Invokes Closure to Conclude Committee Debate on Budget Bill

Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, April 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

A Liberal MP has moved to invoke closure on the 2024 federal budget bill in order to get the legislation swiftly passed.

During a meeting of the House finance committee on May 7, Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull sponsored a motion to have the committee pass Bill C-69, the Budget Implementation Act, no later than May 28. The bill was introduced on May 2. The invocation of closure is a procedural device used to bring debate on a question to a conclusion.

“I am bringing forward this motion because the Budget Implementation Act needs to be the top priority,” said Mr. Turnbull, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter. “I believe Canadians are truly counting on us.”

Conservative MP Marty Morantz criticized the use of closure saying, “They have deluded themselves into thinking they are still a majority government but they’re not,” and added, “Of course, they won’t be government much longer.”

The 686-page omnibus bill amends 48 separate acts of parliament, including the Access To Information Act, Canada Labour Code, Canada Revenue Agency Act, Canada Pension Plan, the Criminal Code, Employment Insurance Act, Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, Immigration And Refugee Protection Act, Income Tax Act, and the Telecommunications Act among others.

“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say every single Canadian will be affected by this budget in some way or another,” Tory MP Philip Lawrence told the committee.

The 2024 budget, which was announced last month, introduced $53 billion of proposed new spending over the next five years, including $8.5 billion in new spending for housing. Overall, the budget looks to spend $535 billion.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chystia Freeland have both touted the budget as being aimed toward helping younger generations, particularly in the area of housing.

“Budget 2024 is a plan to build a Canada that works better for every generation, where younger generations can get ahead, where their hard work pays off, and where they can buy or rent their own home—where everyone has a fair chance at a good middle-class life,” Ms. Freeland said late last month.

Public reaction to the budget has been less than enthusiastic according to a poll released by Ipsos shortly after the budget was announced.

The poll found that just 17 percent of Canadians were supportive of the budget and 40 percent were opposed. A further 43 percent said they had a neutral opinion.