On Friday, the Finance Minister referred to the Parliamentary Budget Officer as “unbelievable, unreliable, incredible.” On Sunday, Kevin Page responded.

For his part, Page stands by his findings that the federal government’s current system can sustain additional benefits for seniors. Waving away Flaherty’s disapproval, he suggested the minister was under a lot of stress… 

Subtly laying into the Conservatives, Page urged Flaherty to release a similar report to provide parliamentarians with more insight as to why OAS benefits are at risk. “This government in 2006 and (2007) was cutting taxes, increasing spending,” he said, referring to Harper’s first couple of years in office. ”All of a sudden we have a major fiscal crisis potentially headed (our way) because of an increase of recipients in old age security. I think that’s a bit disingenuous.”

Similarly, Scott Clark and Peter DeVries challenge Mr. Flaherty to release a fiscal sustainability report, as the Harper government promised it would five years ago.

See previously: What changed?