By Jason Clemens, and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute Since its election, the current federal Liberal government has consistently demonstrated its disinterest in targeting spending to those in need and limiting debt accumulation. Despite expected deficits of $381.6 billion this year and $121.2 billion next year, and that the national debt (adjusted for financial assets)…
Canadians love receiving government largesse, as long as someone else is paying for it, even if it is their kids
By Jason Clemens and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute Pulitzer Prize-winning author George Will has repeatedly argued that, contrary to conventional wisdom, there is enormous consensus in Washington, D.C. – borrow today to finance spending and tax cuts but leave the costs (i.e. taxes) to the next generation. There are increasing signs that Canadians are…
By Alex Whalen and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute There’s been a lot of movement in Ottawa lately, including Bill Morneau’s resignation as federal Finance minister, with Chrystia Freeland taking his place. Unfortunately, the federal government’s recent fiscal snapshot only added to the uncertainty. Why? Because there’s no plan to restore sustainability in federal finances. This…
Canada needs to ensure effective use of resources. That means making certain that relief funds go to those genuinely in need
By Jason Clemens and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute There was a time when the policy debate in Canada focused on how generous government assistance should be for those in ‘need,’ mainly low-income Canadians. That resulted in targeted programs such as welfare for the working-age population, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for…
By Jake Fuss and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute Have you ever wondered how much you actually pay in taxes each year? While tax returns help us understand how much income tax we pay, it’s difficult for most Canadians to calculate their total tax bill. In Canada we pay many taxes to the federal, provincial…
The plan is based on unrealistic assumptions that pose real risks to Ontario finances and includes spending likely to be ineffective
By Jason Clemens and Niels Veldhuis The Fraser Institute With all the announcements last week by the federal government, and the drama surrounding the passage of the federal spending bill, the Ontario fiscal update went largely unnoticed. But since Ontario is Canada’s largest province – in population and the size of its economy – so…
As more resources go towards paying debt interest, the gap between what we pay in taxes and what we receive in services widens
By Tegan Hill and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau recently confirmed that, should a recession occur, Ottawa will turn on the spending taps using borrowed money. This government’s lack of fiscal discipline coupled with a willingness – if not outright enthusiasm – for even more deficit spending could imperil federal…
Canada’s economy is weakening with storm clouds on the horizon while federal finances are woefully unprepared for a recession
By Jason Clemens, Jake Fuss and Milagros Palacios The Fraser Institute It’s hard to recall a time when Canada’s finances were so perilously close to rapidly deteriorating with seemingly little or no interest in Ottawa. Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has been making the rounds since releasing the fall economic update last month, reassuring Canadians…
The amount we pay for health care through the tax system depends on family income and size
By Milagros Palacios and Bacchus Barua The Fraser Institute The fall federal election showed that politicians across the spectrum are happy to promise to spend more on our government-run health-care system. Whether the spending is for long-term care or pharmacare, the political solution to any health-care problem seems to be to pump more money into…
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is following in the footsteps of his father. That’s leading to fiscal calamity and regional dissent
By Jason Clemens, Milagros Palacios and Niels Veldhuis The Fraser Institute As the dust settles from the federal election – which further exacerbated Western frustration, if not outright separatist sentiments – it’s worth considering the policy ebbs and flows of the Liberal Party under Pierre Trudeau and his son Justin. Therein lies the explanation and…