Chrystia Freeland’s final budget as finance minister was met with widespread skepticism, with Canadians describing it as “mediocre,” “scattered,” and full of “smoke and mirrors,” according to in-house focus group research commissioned by the Department of Finance.
Blacklock's Reporter says the findings, drawn from 10 focus groups nationwide, highlighted significant concerns over rising deficits, particularly among older taxpayers.
“Most struggled to identify a central theme in the budget or who it was aimed at,” the research stated. “There was also a lot of skepticism about implementation of the measures in the budget and whether any of them would actually happen in a way that would yield results.”
The $129,893 study, conducted by Ottawa-based Environics Research, found mixed reactions to the budget’s overall direction.
“The most common reaction was the budget seemed scattered and unfocused with such a wide range of priorities and measures,” noted the report, titled Post-Budget Focus Group Research.
Participants described the budget with words like “insufficient,” “mediocre,” “vague,” and “fantasy.” Some felt it was “too little, too late,” pointing to overdue measures that should have been addressed years earlier.
Freeland’s April 16 budget promised a deficit of no more than $39.8 billion, but the actual figure has climbed to at least $46.4 billion. This follows a previous year’s target of $40 billion, which ultimately reached $61.9 billion.
“I think it is very important not to cast any doubt on Canada’s financial credibility,” Freeland said during her testimony to the Commons industry committee on December 10, shortly before stepping down from cabinet.
“I want to take this opportunity to be very clear. Canada’s fiscal position is strong and sustainable.”
The research revealed generational divides in attitudes toward government spending.
“Younger participants generally expressed little or no concern about the deficit as they were too busy worrying about their own budgeting and felt the debt and deficit were just ‘numbers’ and therefore abstractions,” the report said.
In contrast, older Canadians voiced deep concerns.
“Some older participants had perceptions the government was spending too much in a haphazard, unfocused and politically motivated way,” the report added. Many also worried about the long-term consequences of leaving future generations with an ever-growing debt burden.