July 1st is my favourite day of the year—Canada Day. It’s a special moment when every Canadian, from coast to coast, sets aside our debates—in the House of Commons, at our neighbourhood cafés or in letters to the editor—and simply celebrates the true North, strong and free.

Speaking of celebrations, Ottawa’s annual July 1 festivities have long relied on dedicated federal funding, provided by Canadian Heritage under previous Liberal and Conservative governments alike.

This year, when Heritage Canada was asked about its 2025 Canada Day budget, officials refused to disclose the figure.

A spokesperson stated bluntly: “While there is a budget for the events, the department won’t provide the number until after the celebrations are over.” In other words, yes—there’s a plan. But we won’t know how much until after the fact, as if revealing estimates ahead of time would somehow derail the process. That undermines the very purpose of public budgeting.

Worse, both Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne failed to respond to media requests for explanation.
For context, in recent years Heritage Canada’s allocation for the National Capital Region’s July 1 events has ranged from roughly $4 million to just over $5 million. That sum is but a drop in our $500 billion–plus federal budget, yet $4–5 million for a single day remains significant—and worth transparent oversight.

Local volunteer organizations—Westside Daze, Festivals Kelowna and many more—must submit detailed budgets before receiving any grants for our community Canada Day celebrations. If grassroots groups can’t tap federal dollars without full line-item disclosure, why should our national celebrations be treated like they are national security secrets?

This isn’t mere partisanship—it’s a question of accountability. Yet this opaque approach fits a worrying pattern: Prime Minister Carney has refused to table a full 2025–26 budget, leaving the Parliamentary Budget Officer or Parliamentarians unable to assess whether Ottawa will meet its fiscal targets.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is in Europe announcing fresh NATO spending commitments—again, without a clear plan to fund them. I support stronger defence, but Canadians deserve specifics: how, when and where will our tax dollars be spent?

How important is it to you that every level of government—federal, provincial and local—be fully transparent about your tax dollars? I look forward to your thoughts.

You can join in on the discussion on my Facebook Page or contact me directly at [email protected] or toll free at 1-800-665-8711.