In his mandate letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to see big top earners pay higher taxes to help reduce the deficit ramped up by pandemic spending. In his letter, issued on Dec. 16, Trudeau says Canadians gave his party the mandate “to take bold, concrete action to build a healthier, more resilient future,” with the use of “science and evidence-based decision-making.” Freeland’s mandate includes a number of objectives in line with the progressive vision of the Liberal government, including priorities to combat the “existential threat” of climate change and the “systemic inequities” in the “core fabric of our society.” With the unprecedented pandemic spending that pushed Canada’s debt over $1 trillion with a $354 billion deficit in 2020/2021, the government will look to increase its revenues by raising taxes on big businesses and top earners. To boost economic recovery, Trudeau wants …