It’s fairly clear that most of the budget's ‘infrastructure’ spending is not aimed at improving Canada’s roads, bridges and highways.
federal budget
The whole country (except Nunavut) will be encouraged to over-invest in public transit since, under the cost-sharing formula, new dollars will only cost 50 cents.
By 2017/18 spending will be up by $50 billion from 2014/15, representing a jump of 20 per cent.
In the Liberal budget, only 0.2 per cent of the $8.4 billion designated for Aboriginal people is for skills and employment training.
For the most part, the government did not decide to reform or cut low-priority spending or ineffective programs.
As the Liberals table their first budget today, federal government debt has reached $692 billion.
Since 2007/08, Canada’s federal debt has grown by $176 billion to $692 billion in 2015/16.
On the eve of the new Liberal government’s first federal budget, the key is to get incentives right at home.
The new federal Liberal government will table its first budget next week, with media reports suggesting a deficit triple the amount promised during the election campaign.