Senator Martin: Leader, as I have raised with you before, this is a significant discrepancy between what your government says this program will cost versus the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s estimate. The PBO’s cost estimate was $5.94 billion: That is almost twice the amount the government put forward in 2019 of $3.16 billion. Yesterday’s program update from Minister Wilkinson used the figure $3.2 billion.

Leader, has your government revised its cost estimate for this program? If so, what is it?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question for the Leader of the Government in the Senate also regards Bill C-13. Last week, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, or PBO, released a report which looks into the financial cost of Bill C-13. This analysis was conducted at the request of the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages. The PBO report states that three departments — Canadian Heritage, Treasury Board and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — all wrongfully refused to disclose how they will allocate $16 million set aside in the Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 for the initial implementation costs of Bill C-13.

Leader, as Senator Plett just pointed out, the NDP-Liberal government is limiting debate on this bill in the House committee and you’re also refusing to disclose information on Bill C-13 to the PBO. Could you tell us why?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader. I’m going to return to the issue that I didn’t get to fully articulate yesterday regarding the government’s broken promise to provide $3.2 billion to the provinces and territories for the hiring of 7,500 new family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners.

According to the B.C. College of Family Physicians, almost one million people in my province alone do not have a family doctor and are unable to get one — one million. Earlier this month, the Canadian Medical Association said the lack of access to family doctors is a growing crisis, and it urged all levels of government to address the issues that are “decimating primary care across the country.”

Leader, I will try again to ask, why did the NDP-Liberal budget fail to include this specific promise to fund 7,500 new doctors and nurses starting this fiscal year?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, today, I’m going to give you an opportunity to provide a better answer than you did yesterday when I asked you about the lack of details on changes to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive. Last month’s budget provided no details on how the NDP-Liberal government will change this program or when these changes will be in effect.

This is a serious matter for Canadians. April’s record inflation, which Senator Plett referred to earlier, was largely driven by the cost of groceries and the cost of shelter. In fact, Statistics Canada revealed that in April, shelter costs rose at their highest pace since 1983 — almost 40 years ago.

Leader, when will Canadians learn how you will change the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive and on what date those changes come into effect?