Poilievre calls for spending cap, tax cuts in coming federal budget

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the coming federal budget should lower taxes, cap spending and make it easier to build new houses.

Poilievre spelled out his party’s budget priorities Monday in advance of the Liberal government’s fiscal blueprint, to be presented to Parliament on March 28.

The Tory leader accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of fuelling inflation and making it harder for Canadians to feed and house their families.

Poilievre’s criticism comes as the Bank of Canada tries to tame high inflation — spurred in part by global trends — and the economy heads toward a slowdown and possible recession.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland recently stressed that the government is embracing fiscal restraint to avoid pouring fuel on the flames of inflation.

Poilievre says every dollar of new spending in the budget should be matched with one dollar of savings by cutting back.

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