Finance MPs to hold marathon hearings ahead of federal budget

Members of Parliament voted today to hold four days of intense pre-budget consultation meetings, effectively conceding a certain degree of urgency to hearing from the public ahead of the new Liberal government's first federal budget.

The finance Commons committee agreed to hear from "roughly" 89 witnesses over a period of four days from Feb. 16 – 19, when MPs return to Ottawa after spending the second week of February in their ridings.

In the past, the finance committee would have held a number of meetings over the course of several weeks beginning in September.

But this year, the committee's work was delayed in part due to the timing of the last general election and some procedural disagreement with the Bloc Québécois.

"Look, we're running out of time as it comes to … the budget soon being prepared," said Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who was elected chair of the finance committee. "We're rapidly running out of time."

"We need to giddy-up," said Conservative MP Phil McColeman, echoing Easter's remarks on Thursday.

The decision to hold marathon hearings comes as the Liberal government is under increasing pressure from the Official Opposition, as well as the country's mayors and premiers, to deliver on spending promises it made during the recent election campaign.

"We'll go around the clock," said Opposition finance critic Lisa Raitt as she pressed the Liberals for a budget date.

Liberals to table budget 'expeditiously'

While Finance Minister Bill Morneau has yet to say when the Liberal government will deliver its first budget, it is widely expected to be tabled some time in March.

But with the House of Commons scheduled to sit for only two weeks in March, the government will have a very small window to do so.

'We will get to the budget as expeditiously as we can, recognizing our challenging economic environment' - Bill Morneau, finance minister

"We will get to the budget as expeditiously as we can, recognizing our challenging economic environment," Morneau said during question period today.

Morneau and other senior government officials will be among the dozens of witnesses called to testify when the pre-budget marathon hearings get underway.

The finance minister said the government has received some 3,500 submissions from Canadians including various organizations and other interest groups.

The committee also elected Conservative Ron Liepert and NDP MP Guy Caron as vice-chairs.

The House of Commons is scheduled to sit the weeks of March 7 and March 21.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Washington on March 10 for a state dinner with U.S. President Barack Obama — the first White House state dinner in 19 years for a Canadian leader.

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