Commentary
So we’re at it again over the budget, and particularly borrowing and debt. We’re promised an “austerity and investment” budget, but the interim Parliamentary Budget Officer just warned of “shocking,” “stupefying,” and “unsustainable” profligacy. What say we take a step back from the mud-buckets and the brink, and try to talk clearly about … dang it … principles again.
For instance, what is “austerity” and what is “unsustainable”? And can we do it from a principled perspective? Because of course if Liberals are in power, Tories call deficits typical left-wing fecklessness, but when in power, as under Stephen Harper or Doug Ford, Tories call deficits pragmatic and compassionate….