Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Senator Marshall: Even that explanation was helpful, but I must tell you that this isn’t uncommon. Quite often, we can’t find large numbers and exactly what they’re representing in the budget. Another example would the growth fund, which is $15 billion.

Why is the government so secretive about providing fiscal information so that parliamentarians can follow the money? With the information they’re giving us now, it’s just not possible to follow the money.

Senator Batters: Hear, hear.

Hon. Stan Kutcher: Senator Gold, the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s recent fiscal analysis of Canada’s support for Volkswagen’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant estimated the government’s financial commitment to be $16.3 billion over the term of the agreement. This is for one plant that is being built on today’s technology, based on yesterday’s science. Who knows what the scientific and resultant technological advances will bring us to in 2027, when it is projected to be online?

This is the same government that cannot seem to find investments to bring trainees, who are the scientists that will create the economy of tomorrow, up to a living wage today. These are young people whose innovative minds drive the research, development and economic growth of Canada’s future. Without continued investigatory research, such manufacturing plants will become stagnant and redundant as quickly as our best and brightest head elsewhere.

Senator Gold, will the government commit to increasing the number and value of grants and fellowships programs through the Tri-Council for students in the fall economic update?