CTF gives Ontario’s Bethlenfalvy a poor grade on budgeting

by Jay Goldberg

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy needs to take some remedial classes, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). The CTF recently released its report cards for all provincial finance ministers across the country. None of them did particularly well. Saskatchewan’s Jim Reiter scored the highest, with a B+ grade. No finance minister received an A, […]

How Manitoba can earn an “A” in its next budget

by Gage Haubrichtni

Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala needs to go to summer school, because taxpayers can’t afford any more failing grades. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation just released report cards for all provincial finance ministers across the country. Canada’s finance ministers are not stellar students. No finance minister received an A, because all provinces are borrowing more money […]

Alberta by-election conundrum

by Catherine Swift

Both sides of the Alberta separation debate are claiming victory from the results of the three by-elections held earlier this week in Alberta. All eyes were on the provincial riding of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, which was the only riding in Alberta which had previously elected a separation-friendly candidate back in 1982. The newly formed Republican Party […]

Danielle Smith’s honeymoon continues

by Catherine Swift

A recent poll of Alberta voters has found that Premier Danielle Smith continues to enjoy majority support among Albertans. Calgary pollster Janet Brown found that after about two years in office, Smith enjoys a significant 52 per cent support. Brown noted that she hadn’t seen an Albertan Premier enjoy this level of ongoing support since […]

Ford government bill to rein in school boards the right move

by Janet Ecker

School boards or no school boards? That is indeed the question, yet again, as the Ontario Legislature considers Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act. In seeking to quell several controversial issues, Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra came down firmly on the side of keeping them. But he continued the approach of his and […]

Hope for public education in Ontario

by Catherine Swift

The new minister of education for Ontario is talking tough. Paul Calandra, who has had several different portfolios in the Ford government over the years, has now been given the hot potato of ministerial roles – education. Fighting with school boards, militant teacher unions, parents and teachers has been the hallmark of this role. But […]

Kinew should push for end to industrial carbon tax

by Gage Haubrichtni

Premier Wab Kinew was right to stand against the federal consumer carbon tax. Now he needs to take the next step and call for an end to the federal industrial carbon tax. Because it’s likely to become a lot more expensive. That’s because Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to keep the industrial carbon tax […]

Ford government tables budget focused on Trump

by Janet Ecker

Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s recently elected government has brought in an actual budget, which is more than could be said for the confusion of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly elected government over whether they could actually produce one in their first year.   Budgets are critical documents for a government, particularly after an election, or re-election […]

Another Liberal budget for Ontario

by Catherine Swift

Delayed by the snap election call, the provincial budget was finally presented by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy this week. Consistent with previous years, the emphasis of the Ford government is on spending growth instead of tax reductions and government efficiency improvements. Similar to other Canadian governments, the Ford government is using the Trump tariffs as […]

Saskatchewan should aim to be the best, not better than the rest

by Gage Haubrichtni

The Saskatchewan government likes to brag that it’s fiscally responsible compared to other provinces. But that doesn’t mean anything if every other province is piling up debt and wasting millions of dollars every year on debt interest payments. The government says that Saskatchewan has “second lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio,” and the “second highest credit rating,” […]