Commentary
When I read that Canada’s next federal budget would land on March 28 I thought “Oh great, that’s all we need.” Especially since Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland supposedly “reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ‘prudent fiscal management,’” and when this administration promises to “continue” something you know it’s not happening. But striving to remain positive in the fell clutch of circumstance, I thought OK, if I were finance minister what would I do?
Other than resign to protest the ministry’s entanglement with the Chinese Communist Party, I mean. Or its long record of flippant profligacy (even putting aside COVID-related expenditures, the five highest years of federal program spending per capita were, um, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.) And it’s… but no. I said I’d stay positive, plus in this scenario I’m somehow chained to the desk. Perhaps by fear of alternative candidates. And if I’m going to be cranky about existing policy it behooves me to offer some constructive alternative….