Chrystia Freeland rebuffs Pierre Poilievre’s push to present economic update [Video]

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has rebuffed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s offer to give up two hours of scheduled opposition time next Monday to present the awaited fall economic statement as “utterly absurd.”

“This proposal from the Conservatives is like an arsonist who set the fire in the first place, saying, ‘don’t worry about it, I’ll come with a fire truck for a couple of hours, but tomorrow I’ll be back again with matches,'” Freeland said ahead of Senate committee testimony on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s economic management, Poilievre noted the government had yet to schedule the updated look at the federal government’s spending, revenues and budgetary balance, which is usually tabled before December.

“What’s she hiding? Is she hiding that Trudeau lost control of the deficit this year, just like every year?” Poilievre said to reporters on Parliament Hill Wednesday …