OTTAWA — Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne will make his own pair of shoes in Montreal on Wednesday, a day before the Carney government tables its federal budget.Champagne will visit Canadian footwear manufacturer Pajar on November 4, where he will tour the facility and help construct a new pair of shoes, according to a media advisory issued Monday by the Finance Department.The minister will also take questions from reporters following the visit.The event is part of a longstanding tradition of Canadian finance ministers wearing new shoes ahead of presenting a federal budget.Champagne's visit comes as the federal government reported a $5.36 billion deficit during the first five months of the 2026-27 fiscal year, compared to $11.07 billion during the same period last year.According to the Finance Department's latest fiscal monitor, Ottawa collected $215.54 billion in revenue between April and August, up from $201.18 billion a year earlier..The increase came largely from higher personal income tax and GST revenues, although customs import duties and energy tax revenues declined.Federal program spending also rose to $195.95 billion, compared to $187.16 billion during the same five-month period in 2025.Public debt charges reached $25.10 billion, up from $23.01 billion last year.The government also recorded $150 million in net actuarial gains, compared to a $2.08 billion net actuarial loss during the same period last year.The latest figures come ahead of Thursday's budget, when Champagne is expected to outline the government's spending and fiscal plans.Canada's finance ministers have traditionally marked budget day with a new pair of shoes, although Champagne will be taking part in the manufacturing process himself during Wednesday's visit.Pajar, a Montreal-based footwear company, will host the minister for the event before he returns to Ottawa to present the budget.
