The committee has been examining the federal government's fiscal position and procurement practices, with the "buy Canadian" policy emerging as a central focus. Witnesses from industry, unions, and policy institutes have largely supported the policy's intent while pressing for stronger implementation. Small business representatives noted that only a fraction of SMEs currently sell to government and called for lower contract thresholds and simplified processes. Steel and manufacturing witnesses argued the policy must be part of a broader industrial strategy, with several urging the government to move beyond lowest-bid procurement and to tighten definitions of Canadian content to prevent "post office box" companies from qualifying. Union representatives consistently pushed for the policy to include Canadian labour requirements, not just materials, citing concerns about temporary foreign workers on federally funded projects.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer has appeared repeatedly, offering a consistently cautious assessment of the government's fiscal trajectory. The PBO has stated there is less than a one percent chance the government meets its deficit-to-GDP anchor without policy changes, and has flagged rising debt service charges as a growing concern. Witnesses from the PBO have also expressed skepticism about specific programs, such as housing initiatives, estimating they will fall well short of targets. The PBO has committed to tracking budget measures from announcement to results, positioning itself as a key accountability mechanism for parliamentarians.

Canada Post's financial situation and transformation plan received detailed scrutiny, with executives defending their approach while acknowledging structural challenges. The corporation's leadership emphasized that new collective agreements provide stability and that converting to community mailboxes could generate significant savings, while committing to consult affected communities. However, officials could not provide specific figures on climate transition spending and acknowledged the pause on most net-zero investments. The committee also examined the comprehensive expenditure review's impact across departments, with officials from FINTRAC, DND, SSC, PSPC, LAC, and ESDC describing how they are achieving mandated savings, generally through attrition, technology, and administrative efficiencies rather than frontline service cuts.

Partisan tensions have been evident, particularly around the Gordie Howe International Bridge agreement, where opposition members accused the government of misleading Canadians about revenue-sharing terms and demanded documents and testimony. Government members defended the deal as necessary and public, and the meeting adjourned without a vote. A separate dispute over the "Canada Strong" branding saw members argue about its partisan nature, with the Treasury Board president defending it as non-partisan. The committee has also grappled with procedural questions, including whether to summon witnesses on failed programs and how to handle motions for further studies, reflecting ongoing friction between the government and opposition benches over transparency and oversight.