The lingering financial fallout from the pandemic will cost our students for the rest of their lives
The pandemic has been hard on students of all ages. As many parents can attest, their children have missed the social interaction at school and have struggled to focus during online learning. Post-secondary students have missed out on important and exciting life experiences, too. But even after in-class and on-campus learning has resumed to near…
The government must craft a credible short-term plan to eliminate the budget deficit
By Steve Lafleur and Jake Fuss The Fraser Institute The Ford government released Ontario’s 2020/21 third quarter fiscal update last week. As expected, the numbers were ugly. The Department of Finance now anticipates a $38.5 billion budget deficit for this fiscal year. Moreover, the Financial Accountability Officer projects that while the deficit will decrease substantially…
Deficits might seem like an abstract problem for the future but in Ontario this simply isn’t the case
By Steve Lafleur and Jake Fuss The Fraser Institute New Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy inherits a difficult job from Rod Phillips. The province’s fiscal challenges long predate the pandemic. The province has mostly run uninterrupted budget deficits since 2008-09. The governments of both Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne sketched out long paths to budget…
Blame economic contraction due to COVID-19 and increased government spending at the provincial and federal levels
Ontario’s provincial government now carries more net debt per person than any province except Newfoundland and Labrador. In a reversal of historical norms, Ontario carries significantly more debt – almost $4,000 more per person – than Quebec. Of course, debt (financial assets minus total liabilities) means interest payments. But Ontarians aren’t just responsible for interest…
Trudeau, for example, has learned that just standing in front of a mic and sounding sincere is about all he needs to do to emerge a political winner
A lot of us are finding we have the luxury of unexpected spare time while we wait to bust out of COVID jail. I am happily using some of my newfound time to slog my way through Churchill: Walking with Destiny, Andrew Roberts’ brilliant and exhaustive examination of one of the greatest leaders of the…
Wait times for court proceedings to help children escape physical or psychological harm are far too long. Society is failing to protect these vulnerable citizens
In her recent report, Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk took aim at the inefficiencies and backlogs in the province’s justice system. She also cited a lack of accountability and transparency in obtaining critical information from the judiciary and government, thus preventing her office from conducting a thorough audit. Five days later, Ontario Attorney General Doug…
The Alberta government has not only set out a better direction on program spending, it also has a better plan on taxes
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s government delivered its first budget in October following the United Conservative Party’s victory over the NDP earlier this year. That budget sets a course Ontario should follow. Kenny’s mandate from voters was similar to that of Ontario Premier Doug Ford: to reverse course on the previous administration’s overspending, deficits and tax…
The prime minister, Ontario premier and their advisers realize the lines of communication must stay open for the good of the country
When Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently went to Ottawa to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, some people assumed the worst would happen. It’s no secret Ford doesn’t care for Trudeau. The former’s disagreement about implementing a national carbon tax has stretched from the political corridors all the way to the Ontario Court of Appeal.…
The Ontario government continually makes corporate welfare payments that fly in the face of social policy
The Ontario government’s public accounts should be a source of despair to any taxpayer. They provide the latest reminder that politicians are addicted to spending other people’s money and will spend it on just about anything. That a government program is without public demand or is unsupported by sound economic reasoning doesn’t deter governments from…
The federal Conservative leader is in a real dogfight with Justin Trudeau and the provincial Tory leader’s help could make a difference
During a traditional political campaign, parties and leaders use as many weapons at their disposal as possible to win elections and form governments. In the Oct. 21 Canadian federal election, expect the major party leaders to campaign with like-minded premiers and opposition leaders as part of that strategy. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will appear…
The pandemic has been hard on students of all ages. As many parents can attest, their children have missed the social interaction at school and have struggled to focus during online learning. Post-secondary students have missed out on important and exciting life experiences, too. But even after in-class and on-campus learning has resumed to near…
