Does anyone remember when Canada could actually balance a budget and not have to pay higher taxes, higher prices, and higher inflation? It wasn't like this before Trudeau and it won't be like this after him. Thank you, Jim Flaherty & Stephen Harper. #cdnpoli #Budget2024
@AidanMackeyON Harper's had only one fiscal year without a deficit, 2014-15. It was accomplished by selling federal assets at a loss. GM shares being one and AECL being another. The last true surplus was accomplished by Paul Martin in Chretien's government.
@AidanMackeyON I remember Jim Flaherty shutting down income trusts on Halloween 2006 immediately destroying over $30 billion of value mostly held in pensions
@AidanMackeyON 1. You mean Chrétien-Martin. Harper blew a ~$14B structural surplus on an ill-advised-by-economists GST cut, ran a deficit before the 2008 crash, then 5 more, cut support too quickly causing a 2nd mini-recession, then sold public assets at a loss to sell an illusion of balance.
@AidanMackeyON That's some major revisionist history!!!!
@AidanMackeyON I remember when they sold GM shares at a huge loss to book a pre-election "balance" I also remember the huge deficits used to finance GST cuts
@AidanMackeyON "Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pledging to turn the corner after years of running deficits (for eight years) under his government’s watch, saying a budget later this month will finally end that trend." ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/…