Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, in April your government tabled a budget in which it announced that it would establish a permanent council of economic advisers, and promised more details in the coming months.

Eight months later, leader, and there’s still no such a council in place, nor have we received the details we were promised in April. There isn’t even a mention of the council in the Fall Economic Statement tabled this month. Senator Gold, is this council still something your government intends to put in place? If so, what is taking so long? Or will your government be announcing another task force to look into this council as yet another way to pass the buck to someone else?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. This is very much still something that the government is committed to, and I’m told that the government is working on it in an ongoing fashion, and it looks forward to announcing further details in due course.

Senator Plett: Senator Gold, I don’t need to remind you that we currently find ourselves with the worst inflation in decades, and there is a recession on the horizon.

Many Canadians are struggling under the skyrocketing cost of living. Students are going to school hungry, Senator Gold. People are turning to food banks in record numbers — in Canada. Your government’s plan is clearly not working, Senator Gold. If ever there was a time for sage, economic counsel, now would be the time.

How much longer do Canadians have to wait for the government to fulfill its promise to take the economy seriously?

Senator Plett: Senator Gold, in the government’s Fall Economic Statement, they noted that the cost of the Canada workers benefit would be increasing by $4 billion this year. The problem with the increase of $4 billion, however, is that — again, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or PBO — most of it will go to people who are not actually eligible for the benefit.

I’m not sure that this government can walk and chew gum at the same time, Senator Gold. The PBO said:

The substantial cost of this FES measure is largely due to the Government’s policy decision not to recoup these advance payments when recipients’ incomes rise and they become ineligible for benefits, or eligible for lower benefits.

That report goes on to say:

Not requiring repayment of federal benefits for ineligible individuals is a pronounced departure from the existing federal tax and transfer system.

Senator Gold, why is the government spending $4 billion to give tax benefits to people who will not even qualify for them?

On the Order:

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Housakos, seconded by the Honourable Senator Wells, for the second reading of Bill S-237, An Act to establish the Foreign Influence Registry and to amend the Criminal Code.