Whereas the Chrétien government used balanced budgets as a guiding fiscal anchor, the Trudeau government has not had an effective fiscal rule imposing discipline on its spending, taxing, and borrowing decisions, resulting in the federal government being less prepared to respond to the current recession.
federal spending
April 28, 2020
1:00AM
March 6, 2020
9:57AM
The national debt will hit an estimated $713.2 billion this year.
February 20, 2020
10:07AM
Ottawa is expected to spend $24.4 billion on federal government debt interest costs in 2019/20.
January 15, 2020
9:27AM
The Trudeau government's per-person spending is expected to reach $9,066.
October 25, 2019
8:20AM
If Alberta withdrew from the CPP, the basic rate would have to rise to 10.6 per cent.
June 10, 2019
12:20PM
In 2018, per person program spending (inflation adjusted) reached $8,869, the highest point in Canadian history.
March 22, 2019
1:28PM
In 2018-19, per person federal program spending (adjusted for inflation) reached $8,869.
January 28, 2019
11:09AM
The risks of a recession this year or next are real.
May 7, 2018
4:14PM
The PBO projects a cumulative federal deficit of $85.6 billion over the next five years.