On April 19, Canada’s Finance Minister will deliver a budget for the first time in two years; and, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is worried. Whatever Chrystia Freeland plans, the CTF says this much is certain, the amount of red ink will surge past any other deficit records in Canada’s modern history. The federation says the most recent estimate projects the deficit for 2020 will reach $360 billion. The Federation says the Liberal government spent $271 billion in 2020 in pandemic-related measures alone.
According to CTF, the temporary spending measures must be wound down and the government needs to avoid implementing expensive new permanent programs.
The federation says,with these record levels of spending and a once-unimaginable $1-trillion debt tab, politicians will have to start answering some tough questions if we’re ever going to climb out of this hole and avoid tax hikes.

Questiions like:
Should our MPs really be pocketing two pay raises during COVID-19, ranging from $6,900 for a backbench MP to $13,800 for the prime minister?
Isn’t it time for government employees to share some of the burden?
Does the CBC really need $1.3 billion from taxpayers, especially when it has seven vice-presidents, 10 directors general and five directors of finance?
Should the Governor General really be able to bill taxpayers into the afterlife?
Do we need the $20-billion equalization scheme to keep increasing every year?
Do we want politicians who couldn’t balance the budget of a lemonade stand try to pick business winners and losers while handing out subsidies?