‘Breathtaking’ childcare pledge to pay dividends beyond recouping pandemic losses: labour experts
The Liberal government deserves some praise for centring in its budget a billion-dollar plan to address the pandemic-propelled she-cession that has seen women exit the labour force in record numbers, say labour experts, who note a more even economic recovery is likely to hinge on smaller-ticket items, at least in the short term. Childcare as […]
COVID or not, Freeland’s budget doesn’t shy away from challenging Canadians on their vision for the future
OTTAWA—Despite the immediate crunch of the third wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government shows no signs of backing away from its plan to transform Canada into what many will see as a very different country in the post-pandemic era. In the most impactful budget in recent memory, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland looked beyond COVID-19 on […]
Feds’ ‘feminist’ budget pitches plan to stop ‘uneven recovery’; deficit to hit $354.2-billion
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s first “feminist” budget comes with commitments the government says will address social inequities, ease anxieties about the unrelenting pandemic, and tackle the climate crisis. Clocking in at 724 pages, the document titled “A Recovery Plan for Business and Growth” features a slew of new measures aimed at lifting workers and sectors […]
Canadian Surface Combatants and the statement of requirements fiasco
The foundation of any successful procurement is the establishment of an appropriate statement of requirements (SOR). It is understood that a major contributor to large cost increases are changes made to the requirements downstream in the process. For that reason, before any SOR is finalized and approved, it goes through a rigorous challenge function by […]
Bill to raise debt ceiling to $1.8-trillion advances to Senate
A bill that would raise the maximum limit for federal debt to more than $1.8-trillion passed through the House of Commons April 15, and will now face scrutiny from Senators as the government unveils new budgetary commitments that will require borrowing billions more in the years ahead. The government is already on track to borrow […]
‘There’s so much at stake with this’: Liberal MPs want landmark federal budget focused on economics, not politics
The government’s April 19 federal budget, the first one to be released in more than two years, will lay the foundation for the next election battle, say pollsters, but some Liberal MPs want it to focus on boosting the economy, not the Liberal Party’s political fortunes. “I don’t think it should be a very political […]
Ottawa should use its budget to promote equality, green transition
On April 19, the federal government will introduce its much-anticipated budget. Its first priorities are dealing with the pandemic and reviving the economy. But beyond this, its use of a projected budgetary stimulus of $70- to $100-billion should be directed at promoting a more equal and green post-pandemic economy—objectives the government itself embraces. Prime Minister […]
View of Canada’s approach to defence spending needs a wider lens
John Ivison, a columnist for the National Post, is dangerously wrong when he asserts that Canada “should increase, not reduce” military spending in next week’s budget to counter new threats in the world. His April 13 column made the case that, because Iran is reactivating its nuclear program, Russia is gathering forces on the Ukraine […]
Are Canadians ready for the more just, green future Freeland will frame in next week’s budget?
OTTAWA—No one would have wished the COVID-19 epidemic on any country, and Canadians have paid a heavy price, in terms of illness, lives lost, postponed opportunities, and many other sacrifices during the pandemic. But crises open the way for change, and it’s possible Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s budget next week will mark an opportunity to […]
This just in: IMF advocates for more active government in post-pandemic world
TORONTO—Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, in preparing her first budget, would be well-served by reading the latest advice coming out of the International Monetary Fund. The global agency, once noted for its dogmatic—and at times destructive–unbridled free market ideology, is now an advocate of more active government and is making clear the connections between social policy, […]
