program spending

April 3, 2014 2:00AM

A $243,000 bill courtesy of Canada's governments

Imagine receiving a credit card bill that totaled $243,476. This would no doubt be a shock for most Canadians. But if you add up all the liabilities of every Canadian government "federal, provincial, and local" that is in fact how much each taxpayer would owe of the $4.1 trillion total in direct debt and unfunded liabilities.

This admittedly is a very large number and much bigger than what is usually talked about by both politicians and pundits alike. So let's deconstruct it to gain a better understanding.

Tags:

canadian government debt, government spending, program spending, canada pension plan, old age security, health care, medicare, net direct debt, debt and deficit

March 29, 2014 3:00AM

Fewer gimmicks, more transparency needed in Ottawa

Mark Milke

No normal person pays close attention to who is "in" or "out" as finance minister, and that's a good thing. It means the politician in question has avoided messing up the lives of ordinary Canadians. Still, their actions can and do matter, for better or worse.

Tags:

canadian economy, canadian government, government spending, program spending, transparency, debt and deficit, tax credits, taxes, supply management, corporate welfare

March 13, 2014 3:00AM

Quebec's government indebtedness shouldn't be ignored

Sean Speer

It's now several days into the Quebec election campaign and some key issues are starting to emerge. There's been the usual focus on high-profile candidates, speculation about a future referendum, and an ongoing debate about how to accommodate the traditions and cultures of those new to the province.

Tags:

quebec, government spending, debt, program spending, debt and deficit, quebec government indebtedness, interest payments

March 12, 2014 3:00AM

Entertainment Industries, Government Policies, and Canada's National Identity

Steven Globerman

Tags:

national identity, entertainment industry, cultural policies, government spending, program spending, canadian content regulations, foreign ownership, entertainment programming

March 12, 2014 3:00AM

Alberta's opaque budget represents a failure to learn from the past

Sean Speer

If you listen to Alberta Finance Minister Doug Horner, the province's public finances are under control. The government's budget imposes no new taxes, spending growth has been moderated, and Alberta is running an operational budget surplus after successive years of budgetary deficits.

Tags:

alberta budget, alberta, government spending, program spending, debt, deficit, net financial assets

March 11, 2014 3:00AM

Quebec's Government Indebtedness - Unnoticed, Uncontrolled

Sean Speer

Tags:

quebec government, quebec debt, quebec indebtedness, government spending, program spending, quebec, economy, debt and deficit

March 8, 2014 2:00AM

Not your mother's budget surplus

Mark Milke

When apologists for the provincial government's new borrowing binge defend it on the grounds that private sector companies borrow money for capital expenses so why not have the Alberta government do the same? their defence invariably contains a significant and faulty assumption: that political behaviour is the same as that of private companies.

Tags:

alberta budget, alberta government, alberta, government spending, program spending, infrastructure, taxes, budget surplus, debt

February 26, 2014 2:00AM

Federal Liberals reject the party's successful pragmatism of the 1990s

Niels Veldhuis, Jason Clemens

The policy direction of the Liberal Party of Canada and its leader Justin Trudeau, as evidenced by the speeches, motions, and debate at the recent national party convention seem to indicate that the party is rejecting the successful pragmatism of the 1990s. Instead, the federal Liberals favour a more interventionist and activist government, much like that of the current Ontario Liberal government. If such policies are enacted, the results would be ruinous for Canada.

Tags:

government spending, liberal party, ontario liberal government, debt, infrastructure, larry summers, program spending, federal budget, debt and deficits, us economy

February 22, 2014 2:00AM

Don't let mythical thinking on taxes mess up Alberta

Mark Milke

As Albertans approach another provincial budget, the usual fables about Alberta's finances often crop up. To inoculate ourselves in advance, let's ponder two myths.

Myth Number One: Alberta's wealth is a result of luck.

This tall tale assumes that the existence of natural resources automatically results in wealth creation, jobs, and a higher standard of living. That's hardly the case. Plenty of jurisdictions have little in the way of natural resources but prosper, while others have plentiful natural resources yet flounder.

Tags:

alberta budget, alberta, government spending, albertas finances, economy, natural resources, taxes, taxation, income tax, program spending

February 19, 2014 2:00AM