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1. Alberta’s economic health remains a matter of national importance

   It’s well known that Ottawa has run substantial budget deficits in recent years. The federal deficit weighed in at approximately $19 billion in both 2016/17 and 2017/18. But what’s perhaps less understood, however, is that those deficits ...

2. Scheer moves closer to Trudeau, further way from sound fiscal policy

   Appeared in the Ottawa Citizen, June 17, 2019 The upcoming federal election may be one of the more contentious in recent history. And given how important sound fiscal policy is to a healthy economy, government finances should be a central issue. ...

3. Mr. Prime Minister, the good times won’t last forever

   Appeared in the National Newswatch, May 27, 2019 Throughout its mandate, rather than acting to reduce the federal budget deficit, the Trudeau government has made “investments” in the form of more and more spending. Of course, this plan relies on a wave of ...

4. Prime Minister Trudeau cements his ‘debt’ legacy

   Appeared in the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, April 29, 2019 With this year’s federal budget, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau firmly established his fiscal legacy. No Canadian prime minister has spent more money (per person, inflation-adjusted) or ...

5. Examining Federal Debt in Canada by Prime Ministers Since Confederation, 2019

   Canada’s 23 prime ministers have each left a legacy, and each of those legacies has an effect on all Canadians. One element critical to an analysis of each prime minister is whether he or she left the federal government more or less indebted than ...

6. Federal budget continues the spending spree

   In this year’s federal budget, Finance Minister Bill Morneau confirmed the government is more than happy to continue down a risky path of deficit-financed spending. Once again, the government opted to throw money in every direction rather ...

7. Spending, not lack of revenue, driving Ottawa’s red ink

   As budget season approaches in Ottawa, attention will turn—for a moment, at least—to what the Trudeau government projects for federal revenues, expenditures the deficit and the debt. This government can already lay claim to the two ...

8. Recession would seriously derail federal finances

   Appeared in the National Newswatch, February 15, 2019 Fiscal prudence—the ability of the government to balance its budget and manage the finances of the country responsibly—is an increasing concern for Canadians. According to a recent Nanos poll, a ...

9. What Happens to the Federal Deficit if a Recession Occurs in 2019?

   In its latest fiscal update, the Trudeau government revealed that it intends to continue running sizeable budget deficits for the foreseeable future. There are several risks inherent in the federal government’s current approach to fiscal policy ...

10. 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, ...