Rosemarie Falk was first elected in the 2017 federal byelection after Gerry Ritz's resignation, securing nearly 70 per cent of the vote. (Facebook/Rosemarie Falk)

By battlefordsNOW staff

BUDGET REACTION

MP Rosemarie Falk calls new federal budget ‘costly,’ says it overlooks rural Sask.

Nov 6, 2025 | 5:00 PM

Battlefords–Lloydminster–Meadow Lake MP Rosemarie Falk says the new federal budget will do little to make life more affordable for Canadians, calling it a “costly” plan that overlooks the realities of rural life.

Falk said Conservatives had urged the government to remove what she described as “hidden taxes” on food and fuel, cut income and capital gains taxes, and cap the deficit at $42 billion.

“We actually see this as a very costly, costly budget,” Falk said.

“When we look at the budget, I mean, Carney had promised to keep the deficit at $62 billion. It’s actually $78 billion in this most recent budget. So we see this as just going to increase the cost of living and reduce affordability for Canadians.”

The federal budget projects a $78.3 billion deficit this year, prompting criticism from Saskatchewan officials who say the plan lacks clear support for agriculture and rural development.

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Falk said residents in her riding face higher costs because they depend on long-distance travel for work, health care and essentials — and new federal fuel charges make that even harder.

“When we look at traveling … that 17 cent carbon tax that is going to be on gas and diesel, that’s just making it more expensive for us to live in the rural areas that we do, let alone our food.”

She said the Conservatives will continue “advocating for our farmers and our energy workers and ultimately, rural Canadians,” while pressing Ottawa to understand how its policies affect affordability.

“We need to see income tax cuts. We need to see these hidden taxes gone,” Falk said.

“We need to see our resources being developed and unleashed so that life can be more affordable for Canadians.”

Falk also questioned whether some of the government’s industry investments were truly new, noting several had already been announced.

“For example, the copper mine that is in east central Saskatchewan, that was already announced in September, and it’s again in the budget,” she said.

“They’re not necessarily new, they’re just reiterating them.”

She added that forestry and energy sectors still need tangible action rather than repeated promises.

“At the end of the day, we’re seeing some support for forestry in the budget, but … since Carney has become prime minister, lumber tariffs have tripled,” Falk said, referring to the increase in U.S. tariffs from 10 per cent to 45 per cent.

“We need to see the federal government do something when it comes to softwood lumber tariffs, which they haven’t been doing, and we have to see the opportunity for energy development.”

Falk said taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost of the spending plan.

“At the end of the day, this is a costly budget and who’s going to pay for that is Canadians and the taxpayers.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com