Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has agreed to sit down with interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose, after she wrote him a letter requesting a meeting to discuss the 鈥渞apidly deteriorating economy.鈥�
In a publicly-released Ambrose wrote that, 鈥渨ith markets tumbling, the oil price remaining depressed and the dollar weakening, the time is now for the government to demonstrate leadership.鈥�
Ambrose said she wants Trudeau to make 鈥渢hree key economic commitments鈥�: limit additional debts, sign and ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal and scrap the Liberals鈥� promise to cancel income splitting for families.
In her letter, Ambrose had said she鈥檚 concerned that the Liberals鈥� campaign promise to run modest deficits of around $10 billion a year will be broken. 鈥淵our government has taken almost no time to turn a surplus (as indicated by the Parliamentary Budget Officer) into a deficit,鈥� she added.
Ambrose later told CTV鈥檚 Power Play that she wanted the meeting in part so that she can urge Trudeau 鈥渢o be clear about the level of debt and deficit he鈥檚 going to burden Canadians with.鈥�
Ambrose said the Liberals鈥� first budget should come out sooner than later, adding that the Conservatives鈥� 2009 budget was released on Jan. 27 that year, in response to the global economic crisis.
鈥淲e worked very quickly, over the Christmas holidays, to get that budget done but we needed it because we had to send that signal to markets, we had to send that signal to Canadians businesses that they had support,鈥� she said.
In other years, the Conservatives released their budgets much later. Last year, then Finance Minister Joe Oliver until April 21, citing uncertainty over oil prices.
Ambrose also criticized the Liberals for a 鈥渓ack of certainty鈥� about environmental approvals that she said is scaring away capital from Canada鈥檚 oil sands at a time when she thinks a low loonie could attract foreign investment.
鈥淚nvestors are saying that Alberta is not a place to invest anymore,鈥� she added. On Monday, the credit rating agency Moody's shifted its outlook to negative from stable, although Alberta retains a triple-A rating.
Earlier in the day, Trudeau told reporters in Saint Andrews, N.B., that he 鈥渓ooks forward鈥� to meeting with Ambrose and discussing any concerns she may have.
However, the prime minister would not directly answer questions about whether his planned deficit could grow into the $30 to $40 billion range.
He also dodged questions about the possibility of releasing an early budget.
Trudeau said that the Canadian economy has 鈥渦nderperformed鈥� in the last decade, and blamed the lack of growth on the previous Conservative government.
NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said, that while 鈥渢hese are tough times,鈥� the slumping economy does not give the Liberal government an excuse to back away from its election promises, especially when it comes to deficits and stimulus spending.
Mulcair said the government has 鈥渁n obligation鈥� to deliver the budget as soon as possible, but said that Trudeau should hold all-party consultations before setting a budget date.
