What Unrealistic Fiscal Planning Could Mean for Canada

David Dodge tells the National Post why the government of Canada is being too optimistic in its current fiscal planning, particularly when it comes to spending. The government claims that spending in real terms per capita will fall sharply over the next five years. David says, “We think that’s pretty unrealistic to think they’re going to achieve the goals of the budget with declining real spending per capita. That doesn’t align with what the government has said it wants to achieve."

David spoke with reporters about the new Bennett Jones-Business Council of Canada paper, Assessing the Potential Risks to the Sustainability of the Government of Canada’s Current Fiscal Plan.

Dodge and Richard Dion, along with the Council’s Robert Asselin, looked at five plausible scenarios over the next decade in the paper, concluding that action to restore a sustainable balance between Canada's revenues and expenditure is required.