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1. Ottawa has a big spending problem

   As the dust settles from Monday’s federal economic and fiscal update, it becomes ever more apparent that Ottawa does not have a revenue problem but a massive spending problem. From budgetary revenues of $332.2 billion in 2018-19, the ...

2. Tax gap growing between Canada and the U.S.

   Canada had an overall tax-to-GDP ratio of 33 per cent. ...

3. Simply balancing Ontario’s budget won’t stop debt surge

   Ontario’s fall economic and fiscal statement delivered by this week Finance Minister Rod Phillips reveals a slower process towards budget balance. Revenue in 2019-20 will be $155.8 billion compared to $153.7 billion for the previous year, ...

4. Ford government should more forcefully target deficit, housing costs

   Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement will be released next week and will set the stage for the Ford government’s second budget and policy direction. This will come after last year’s retreat from a mishandled program of expenditure restraint. ...

5. Canada needs more major trading partners beyond China and the U.S.

   On the campaign trail, there’s little talk about Canadian trade policy and the repercussions of our current poor political relationship with China. The need to continue diversifying our trade is the elephant in the room this federal ...

6. The new normal—continued economic growth, not secular stagnation

   Appeared in the Moncton Times & Transcript, September 28, 2019 The single biggest determinant of long-term economic wellbeing is the rate of economic growth. The industrial era, since the early 19th century, has seen powerful economic growth and ...

7. Ontario employment gains—an uneven picture

   According to the most recent Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, Ontario saw an increase of 58,000 jobs in August. But the evidence suggests that all’s not coming up roses after one looks at the longer-term picture across Ontario’s ...

8. Renters remain the big losers in ‘rent control’ cities

   Housing will likely be a big issue in the fall federal election. With high housing prices in most major centres creating more difficulties for first-time homebuyers, there has been a shift to renting—but even here, shortages have ...

9. Candidates in Manitoba promise more spending—which is already the problem

   Manitobans go to polls September 10. And like most election campaigns, this one is producing a long list of promises designed to buy votes with taxpayer money. In recent days, there have been promises to create new childcare spaces, ...

10. 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 ...