"Important government spending". Like those snowmobile machines. Or tennis courts.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty released the semi-annual fiscal and economic update in which, among other things, he announced that his government would not be able to return to a balanced budget during the life of the current Parliament. Six months ago, when he released Budget 2012, he said the budget would be balanced in this Parliament’s last year. In facing up to the fact that, by the election of 2015, the Conservatives therefore will have run deficits in eight of their 10 budgets, Flaherty offered this:

Nevertheless, we remain on track to meet our goal to return to balanced budgets over the medium term. Continue reading "Important government spending". Like those snowmobile machines. Or tennis courts.

Budget Reaction: A roundup of what NGOs and other groups think of Flaherty's 8th budget

The 2012 federal budget was tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday afternoon. Here’s a roundup of reaction. (and I’ll be updating as I slowly catch up reading through the blizzard of releases that followed Thursday’s budget…

Continue reading Budget Reaction: A roundup of what NGOs and other groups think of Flaherty's 8th budget

Bad news for the deficit hawks: The storm clouds are parting

Some have observed that doom-and-gloom scenarios for our economy and the world economy provide the political cover for politicians to engage in initiatives, such as cutting public services, which might be politically unpopular.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s speech in Davos last week was a good example the kind of doom-and-gloom diagnosis for which the prescription is convincing enough Canadians they are no longer entitled to their entitlements. Continue reading Bad news for the deficit hawks: The storm clouds are parting