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1. Ontario’s decade of spending decadence

   Appeared in the Windsor Star The Ontario government has never made a secret of its desire to have the federal government help fund Ontario’s provincial budget. It even started its own think-tank with $5 million in 2009, which regularly publishes reports ...

2. Government budgets are like volcanoes: It’s what underneath that counts

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Imagine you’re near what you thought was a dormant volcano but it suddenly erupts. Assuming you escape, you might later reflect that there was nothing “sudden” about it. The eruption resulted from earlier events deep within ...

3. Ontario’s 2015 Budget: an exercise in wishful thinking

   Appeared in the Financial Post Ontario’s 2015 budget, like those of years past, needed a concrete plan to get government finances on a sound footing. Yet again, the budget failed to deliver. Instead, the government continues to delay the tough decisions ...

4. More compensation restraint would help ease Ontario’s budget troubles

   Appeared in the Waterloo Region Record, April 9, 2015 Amid a gathering fiscal storm, the Ontario government will soon table its budget for the coming fiscal year and beyond. There’s a lot riding on getting things right. A recent study found that debt is ...

5. A Brief History of Ontario Public Debt

   Appeared in the Financial Post Ontario’s net public debt is estimated at $287.3 billion and will hit nearly $320 billion by 2017.  The evolution of this daunting number is an interesting story as the spring budget approaches. Much like Rome, Ontario’s ...

6. Quebec budget shows progress but bolder fiscal reforms still needed

   Appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, April 4, 2015 The day before delivering his budget speech, Quebec Minister of Finance Carlos Leitão called the budget a “good news budget.” Indeed, Quebec’s 2015 budget continues to make progress on tackling deep ...

7. The Texas Advantage over Alberta

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Alberta and Texas have always had a lot in common. Ranching in the 19th century. A can-do entrepreneurial approach to oil and gas in the 20th century. And in the 21st century they are still somewhat similar; oil and gas ...

8. Alberta’s budget: $11.4 billion in extra taxes

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Premier Jim Prentice dropped hints for months that the 2015 provincial budget was a once-in-a-generation chance to “fix” Alberta’s finances. That didn’t happen. Instead, the province raised taxes on Albertans in a manner ...

9. Greek government helping the rich, not ordinary Greeks

   Appeared in the Waterloo Region Record Greek fire terrified ancient mariners. Blazing liquid shot from a hose, dosing enemy vessels with flaming material that continued to burn after landing on ships, water and sailors. Fast forward to today. It’s just a ...

10. Budget 2015: Quebec’s twin fiscal challenges require bold action

    Premier Philippe Couillard recently declared that government finances and the economy are his top priorities, stating that “the goal is clear: consolidation of public finances and economic re-launch.” This is laudable. ...