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1. Federal Budget 2021—a preview of what you won’t see

   At 79 per cent, Canada had the fastest growth in its debt-to-GDP ratio in the G-7. ...

2. Freeland takes over during massive federal spending spree

   It’s out with the old and in with the new in Ottawa as Chrystia Freeland replaces Bill Morneau as federal finance minister. Freeland takes over during a dramatic time in Canadian history, so it’s worth reviewing the history of federal ...

3. Ottawa’s net debt projected to hit $859 billion by 2023-24

   With a federal election coming in the fall, the absence of policy debate on the federal debt is disappointing. Since 2013-2014, the interest-bearing debt of the federal government has increased from $904 billion to $1.025 trillion, a 13 ...

4. The Trudeau and Ford governments—two fiscal statements, one debt problem

   Appeared in the National Newswatch, November 14, 2018 Both the Ford government in Ontario and the Trudeau government in Ottawa will release their fall fiscal and economic statements this month. Despite a tendency to compartmentalize these separate events, ...

5. Trudeau government must act now on trade, taxes as possible recession looms

   Appeared in the Moncton Times & Transcript, September 28, 2018 As Parliament resumes, Canada’s policymakers face a turbulent state of affairs as the United States and China wage an economic Cold War armed with tariffs and Ottawa continues negotiating ...

6. Ottawa using bounty of robust growth to simply boost spending

   The recently-released 2018 federal budget calls for growth in both spending and revenues. Between 2017-18 and 2022-23, total revenues are forecast to grow from $309.6 billion to $373.9 billion—an increase of 21 per cent. After a three ...

7. Federal Budget 2017—Ottawa should learn from Canada's last road to debt

   The November 2016 federal economic update projected persistent deficits from 2015-16 to 2021-22. Shortly after, the Department of Finance released projections, which saw federal deficits persisting until the middle of the 21st century. ...

8. Two federal budgets, one problem—spending

   It’s federal budget season in Canada and the United States, with a common feature—fiscal planning driven by aspirations. Both federal governments plan major expenditure increases designed to promote objectives that, in the end, will ...

9. Why is Canada’s federal government running a deficit?

   Canada’s federal government has embarked on a path of substantial deficit financing with no concrete target laid out of when the budget might be expected to balance. The deficit will be $5.4 billion in 2015-16, $29.4 billion in 2016-17, ...

10. As the federal budget looms, the government’s credibility remains questionable

    The federal budget on March 22 will be a keenly watched document for a variety of reasons. One can expect a ramping up of government spending based on the promises made in the Liberal election program for new initiatives in areas like ...