The House

Paul Martin and Tom Mulcair take aim at the government's economic agenda

With Finance Minister Joe Oliver set to unveil his first budget on April 21, one he confirmed this week would be balanced, we ask former Prime Minister Paul Martin and the leader of the Official Opposition Tom Mulcair for their take on the government's approach to the economy.
Finance Minister Joe Oliver speaks to the media at the Canada Goose factory while announcing the date of the federal budget in Toronto on Thursday, April 2, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Dismissing the Conservative economic plan as "an absolute disgrace" and "nonsensical," former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin has leapt into the debate over Finance Minister Joe Oliver's upcoming April 21 budget.

In an interview on The House, Martin told host Evan Solomon that Canada is facing a "very serious" economic situation and he accused the government of doing nothing about it.  "[The government] is not doing the right things now and we have not been doing the right things for the last decade," Martin said. 

Then, Official Opposition leader Tom Mulcair also criticizes the government for not announcing the budget date in Parliament.

The NDP leader also outlines what he would like to see in the federal budget, what he will be looking forward during the Mike Duffy trial, and what he thinks of the extension and expansion of the mission against ISIS.

Finance Minister Joe Oliver announces the day for the Federal Budget to be delivered

10 years ago
Duration 1:10
Finance Minister Joe Oliver announces the day for the Federal Budget to be delivered