The Conservative Party released a costing for their 2021 election platform on Sept. 8, committing to reduce the federal budget deficit without cutting government programs. The Conservative’s costing plan aims to reduce deficit by 85 percent, from $168 billion this year to under $25 billion in 2025-26. According to the plan, Conservative platform promises would first add $30 billion to this fiscal year’s projected budget deficit of $138.2 billion. The deficit would then be reduced year-by-year thereafter. “Even without the additional growth that will result from the plan, no cuts are needed because Conservatives will run a disciplined government that limits the growth of future spending,” according to the costing document. The costing produced by the government’s fiscal watchdog, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), was released just hours before the French-language leaders’ debate. In a press conference held prior to the leaders’ debate, O’Toole told reporters that in this election, the …