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Finance Minister Jim Flaherty speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, March 5, 2013. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
John Ibbitson
Why balancing the budget is good politics, if not good policy
John Ibbitson
— The Globe and Mail
Published
Last updated
There is policy and there is politics. And politics is why the federal budget, which will be unveiled later this month, will commit to balancing the books before the next election, even though that may be a mistake.
This is not an argument against balanced budgets – far from it. Balancing a budget should be the highest priority for any finance minister.