This latest budget risks triggering a new round of inflation through excessive borrowing and a weak follow-through on policies supposedly intended to foster growth.

Thus, economist Dr. Tim Sargent, Director of Domestic Policy at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, with extensive government experience at the deputy minister level.

Appearing on Hannaford tonight, Sargent says the Carney government deserves credit for at least recognizing Canada’s core economic problems, short-term trade disruptions caused by U.S. protectionism, and a long-term productivity crisis rooted in poor private-sector investment.