Quote:
Originally Posted by JD159
I didn't hear the Canadian conservatives crying when Harper was running a deficit. All of a sudden Trudeau does and it is the end of the world. Harper manufactured a surplus for political perception during an election year. |
To be fair, most Conservatives would agree that deficit spending is acceptable in lousy economic climates, provided surpluses are run in other times to balance hem out. The fact that Harper returned to a surplus prior to an election may have been politically favorable, but it was also sensible from an economic perspective.
Growth in Canada these days is arguably slow, but certainly not at crisis levels, or even recession levels. I think it's harder to justify deficit spending in a climate like this... Wouldn't it be nice to keep some dry powder in case things actually deteriorate substantially?