Kevin Milligan

Here are some links and notes I’ve made as I prepare for today’s Cross-Country Checkup on Canada’s federal budget situation: Show details here.

Department of Finance

2014 Budget here.

Fall 2014 Fiscal Update here.

Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

2014 Fiscal Sustainability Report. Compares future spending and tax trends at the federal and provincial levels.

Update after October 30th tax package announcement. Changes account for about half the projected surplus; rest is one-time measures. Little extra room left for further measures.

My Analysis of Policy Options

Conservative: Family Tax Package. In Maclean’s.

NDP: Childcare. In Maclean’s; in Globe and Mail.

Liberals: Infrastructure. In Maclean’s.

Other analysis of fiscal situation

Stephen Gordon at Maclean’s argues that future surpluses depend on continued spending restraint in Ottawa. If opposition parties wants to spend more, they have to continue that restraint or raise new revenue.

My ideas for simplifying and improving our web of child benefit programs.

My ideas for long-run income tax reform in upcoming C.D.Howe speech.