Comments on: UPDATED: Senior government official scoops finance minister

By: madeyoulook

madeyoulook — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:28:56 +0000

It’s not just you, Dan, believe me…

By: madeyoulook

madeyoulook — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:19:51 +0000

Is it illegal or just politically damaging to have details of a federal budget leaked in advance? If illegal, name names and call the cops. If politically damaging, grill the finance minister and PM on how they let (caused?) this (to) happen. I can recall at least one provincial budget that was released a day or two early because details leaked out, in order for complete and true information to be in the public domain and available to all simultaneously. This reeks of political gamesmanship gone mad, and the potential for some insiders to know (and profit from!) additional information not yet widely disseminated is more than a fair question.

Nail them on this, folks. It stinks.

By: Blackpool

Blackpool — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:05:09 +0000

well that would happen wouldnt it?

By: Liz

Liz — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:00:14 +0000

There is something really wrong with this pre-release of Canada’s fiscal budget. It is unheard of.
People and markets around the world, some friendly and some not so, are waiting to hear where Canada stands financially and the direction Canada intends to go under the current Government.
Releasing bits and pieces of Canada’s blueprint willy-nilly is a very disquieting move on the part of Canada’s government.

I hope the emesem makes like a worthy estate and follows this up.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:31:06 +0000

“Let me tell them that the way to manage this economy through difficult global times is not as the Liberal Party would do: to drive us into deficit.” Stephen Harper
“We should think of the next generation and the generation after that. Why should we be living on borrowed money and asking the next generation to pay the costs? It is not fair intergenerationally. Most people would think it is not fair and would say that we should pay our bills as we go.” Jim Flaherty

Is it just me or did I like the 2008 version of these guys much better?

By: Jameson

Jameson — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:18:48 +0000

Another unexpected move? Holding the budget in an auto-parts factory.

By: TobyornotToby

TobyornotToby — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:16:09 +0000

Media have been agreeing to the stipulation that they not report the name of the “official” who is some political operative covering up for the ministers who are telected and paid to be accountable but are able to avoid it through these little manipulations.

Media representatives need to start refusing the Spinvitation to attend and reporting that they refused to participate on principle.

By: William

William — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:01:18 +0000

Yeah, Could be a trial ballon—-the last time PM Harper released info about our fiscal situation we almost had a revolution. HE`s probably looking down the hall to see if there any troop movements amongst the opposition—–anybody hear coalition talk yet ?

By: TJ Cook

TJ Cook — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:54:02 +0000

Personally, I expect a balanced budget tomorrow, thanks to the planned sale of $34B in unnamed government assets. This is just a head fake.

By: Warwick

Warwick — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:42:38 +0000

“Yet there’s something unsettling here. The practice of tabling the entire federal fiscal plan on one day is largely based on the idea that it’s impossible to understand one part without the context of the rest of the blueprint.”

Are you 12?

What’s unsettling here is that you are paid for political commentary without any knowledge of it. Do you not know of the “trial balloons” of the Chretien/Martin era? How the budget would leak out piece-by-piece over weeks? If not, you are not qualified for your job. If so, why the manipulation?

By: David Bakody

David Bakody — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:38:14 +0000

Hold on a minute …. will the MSM now question Harper/Flaherty on their hidden numbers ( remember many economist stated publicly they had cooked the books) …….

Media release for LPC web site.

The budget surplus that Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty projected just eight weeks ago does not exist. The Liberal Party and Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) were deeply suspicious of Harper and Flaherty and that suspicion is now confirmed.

The PBO is predicting that the budgetary deficit for 2009-10 will be $13 billion, even before any stimulus spending is allocated.

In order for next week’s budget to earn the confidence of Parliament and of Canadians, the numbers can’t lie. Stephen Harper must be frank and honest with all of us about the true state of our economy and the steps necessary to dig us out of the mess his government has created.

By: Bailey

Bailey — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:37:37 +0000

I agree with what your Colleague Wherry has written regarding the Senior Finance Official:

http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/11/19/behold-the-ridiculousness-of-this-existence/

I wonder why you are not allowed to name the Senior Finance Official. Who’s to say it wasn’t the Finance Minister telling you all this and therefore scooping himself?

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:33:29 +0000

you can choose to look anyway you want.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:32:04 +0000

No I just like knowing the bottom line the rest I will leave to the rabble.

By: DR

DR — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:30:27 +0000

Stephen Harper’s genius is so great, even his deficits don’t stink.

CHESSMASTER!

By: Steph C

Steph C — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:28:45 +0000

From what we’ve seen in the past, look for this October’s fiscal update to downgrade the deficit numbers, as the CPC anticipates election talk to heat up when Parliament returns for the Fall Session.

By: kc

kc — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:22:51 +0000

It may be a sensible strategy, but it doesn’t mean that we all have to just look this way because they say so.

By: kc

kc — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:17:33 +0000

I’m confused, surely not the only one. Does this mean that the “entire” fiscal plan will not be released on budget day? If it is, then how does this help, other than making sure we don’t all fall off of our collective perchs when we see the figures. Is he hoping we’ll all be still in shock and not notice that 10bil is going into a # Swiss bank account? Or is Steve just being Steve? If it blows up, well we all know who to go looking for now, don’t we?

By: Robert McClelland

Robert McClelland — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:12:17 +0000

and might just be a sharp political move.

Maybe. It looks to me like a panic reaction to yesterday’s news that there will be a $13 billion deficit even before a stimulus is added in. Since they have no way of spinning that bad news they’ve released the numbers on the budget deficit and will follow up with either “the coalition made us do it” or “it’s for the good of the nation” depending on whether they’re talking to the base or the rest of the country.

By: Just visiting

Just visiting — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:01:07 +0000

Having perused media online from other countries writing about government economic action, I note that Canadian media are the only ones who seem to be totally obsessed with the size of the deficit. It’s as though the deficit is the only aspect of economic policy (they think) they understand.

I presume the reason for putting out the deficit information ahead of time is to try to focus media attention on the actual measures in the budget. It’s a sensible strategy.

By: John.K

John.K — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:55:02 +0000

kc is right…today’s not one of your better days. Unless of course you like being toyed with by your elected representatives.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:52:59 +0000

Nice move .. if there is one thing I have learned form Harper is expect the unexpected. I would have never thought of such a move after all it’s one of those things that you assume wil be the way it always is. Brilliant! The more I think about the possible consequences the more it makes sense.

By: Jack Mitchell

Jack Mitchell — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:43:14 +0000

So let me get this straight. When it comes to government spending, we now have the Minister of Finance, an unnamed Dept. of Finance official, and the Parliamentary Budget Officer all briefing the press?!? At least the Finance official can’t be named.

By: John.K

John.K — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:34:12 +0000

Obfuscation is being raised to an art form.