Today's letters: Federal budgets are more work than Carney's critics understand
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I have been deeply involved in budget-making, in the Paul Martin years, both in fiscal policy in the Department of Finance and then in PCO. Work on late-February budgets started in November, if not earlier. Priorities needed to be set by whatever process (in our case, a Cabinet process). Then, ideas and initiatives were surveyed against them. These are most often collaborative across departments. Tax initiatives needed planning and analysis.
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There were, in my experience, rough budget drafts before Christmas, and then drafts turned around every couple of days or (even overnight in the end), for the last two months.
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You need enough economic and fiscal data for the current year as a base for forecasts, and that comes out with a lag. Why do you think annual fiscal and economic updates are late in the autumn? And initiatives — especially big ones — need enough planning to have confidence in them policy policy-wise and cost-wise.
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So it hasn't dropped in virtually a week after a single Cabinet meeting? Or even next month? Shame! Shame!
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And I hope there are enough crystal balls for everyone, ones you don't want to share with Trump while you're negotiating with him.
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You want a budget that's worth the paper it's written on.
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L.J. Ridgeway, Ottawa
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Re: No federal budget? That's outrageous, May 23.
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There is no more compelling argument for improved civics education in Canada than the letter to the editor entitled: 'No federal budget? That's outrageous.' If we do, in fact, get the government we deserve, we should be very worried.
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Canadians do need to know where their money is spent. This is why the government has limited spending authority until Parliament comes back. The government is obliged to table its annual planned spending, which must be approved by Parliament. At the end of the year (and a bit), the actual spending is reported in the Public Accounts (which inevitably gets lots of media attention, though not always for the best reasons). In addition, the government does not disappear during an election: passports are issued, soldiers are deployed, medicines are approved, tariffs are raised and so on.
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CTV News
32 minutes ago
- CTV News
Trump says Putin told him that Russia will respond to Ukrainian attack on airfields
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a cabinet meeting via videoconference at Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him 'very strongly' in a phone call Wednesday that he will respond to Ukraine's weekend drone attack on Russian airfields. The U.S. president said in a social media post that, 'It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.' The call that lasted for an hour and 15 minutes was Trump's first known with Putin since May 19. Trump said he and Putin also discussed Iran's nuclear program. By Hanna Arhirova And Michelle L. Price THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday dismissed Russia's ceasefire proposal as 'an ultimatum' and renewed his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock over the war, which has dragged on for nearly three and a half years. Putin, however, showed no willingness to meet with Zelenskyy, expressing anger Wednesday about what he said were Ukraine's recent 'terrorist acts' on Russian rail lines in the Kursk and Bryansk regions on the countries' border. 'How can any such (summit) meetings be conducted in such circumstances? What shall we talk about?' Putin asked in a video call with top Russian officials. He accused Ukraine of seeking a truce only to replenish its stockpiles of western arms, recruit more soldiers and prepare new attacks like those in Kursk and Bryansk. Both sides exchanged memorandums setting out their conditions for a ceasefire for discussion at Monday's direct peace talks between delegations in Istanbul, their second meeting in just over two weeks. Zelenskyy had previously challenged Putin to meet him in Turkey, but Putin stayed away. Russia and Ukraine have established red lines that make a quick deal unlikely, despite a U.S.-led international diplomatic push to stop the fighting. The Kremlin's Istanbul proposal contained a list of demands that Kyiv and its Western allies see as nonstarters. `This document looks like spam' Zelenskyy said that the second round of talks in Istanbul was no different from the first meeting on May 16. Zelenskyy described the latest negotiations in Istanbul as 'a political performance' and 'artificial diplomacy' designed to stall for time, delay sanctions and convince the United States that Russia is engaged in dialogue. 'The same ultimatums they voiced back then -- now they just put them on paper ... Honestly, this document looks like spam. It's spam meant to flood us and create the impression that they're doing something,' Zelenskyy said in his first reaction to the Russian document. He added that the 2025 talks in Istanbul carry 'the same content and spirit' as the fruitless negotiations held in the Turkish city in the early days of the war. The Ukrainian leader said that he sees little value in continuing talks at the current level of delegations. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov led the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, while Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Putin, headed the Russian team. Zelenskyy said he wants a ceasefire with Russia before a possible summit meeting with Putin, possibly also including U.S. President Donald Trump, in an effort to remove obstacles to a peace settlement. The U.S. has led a recent diplomatic push to stop the full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. 'We are proposing ... a ceasefire before a leaders' summit,' with the U.S. acting as a mediator, Zelenskyy told a media briefing in Kyiv. 'Why a ceasefire before the leaders' meeting? Because if we meet and there is no mutual understanding, no willingness or vision on how to end this, then the ceasefire would end that same day. But if we see readiness to continue the dialogue and take real steps toward de-escalation, then the ceasefire would be extended with U.S. mediation guarantees,' he said. Ukraine is ready to meet at any time from next Monday at a venue such as Istanbul, the Vatican or Switzerland, Zelenskyy said. U.S. defence secretary stays away A second round of peace talks on Monday between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul lasted just over an hour and made no progress on ending the war. They agreed only to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops. Also, a new prisoner exchange with Russia could take place over the weekend, Zelenskyy said. The U.S. has shown signs of distancing itself from the conflict. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth skipped a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday of an international group coordinating military aid to Ukraine. It was the first time America's Pentagon chief didn't attend alongside 50 other defence leaders since the U.S. created the group three years ago. An analysis published Tuesday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, said the Kremlin is hoping for U.S. disengagement while avoiding further sanctions. 'Without serious pain, Putin will continue to drag the peace talks out, keep fighting, and wait for the United States to walk away,' it said. In tandem with the talks, both sides have kept up offensive military actions along the roughly 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front line and carried out deep strikes. Ukraine's Security Service gave more details Wednesday about its spectacular weekend drone strike on Russian air bases, which it claimed destroyed or damaged 41 Russian aircraft, including strategic bombers. The agency claimed the planes struck included A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22, Tu-160, An-12, and Il-78 aircraft, adding that artificial intelligence helped guide the drones thousands of kilometres from Ukraine. It also said it set off an explosion on Tuesday on the seabed beneath the Kerch Bridge, a vital transport link between Russia and illegally annexed Crimea, claiming it caused damage to the structure. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that there was no damage. Russia's Defence Ministry said Wednesday that its troops have taken control of another village in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, on the border with Russia. Putin announced on May 22 that Russian troops aim to create a buffer zone that might help prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks. Since then, Russia's Ministry of Defence claims its forces have taken control of nine Sumy villages. ------ By Hanna Arhirova Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England contributed.
The Province
36 minutes ago
- The Province
Here's how many travellers flew from Canada to the United States in April
In April, for a third straight month, Canada's major airports 'recorded year-over-year decreases' in passengers for flights to the U.S., per Statistics Canada A traveller passes Air Canada planes at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Ont. Photo by Aaron Lynett/National Post files There were fewer travellers flying from Canada to the United States this April compared to last year, while most of the major Canadian airports exceeded their pre-COVID numbers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors A new report by Statistics Canada released on Monday revealed more about the recent habits of those flying in and out of Canadian airports in April. It appears that the tension between Canada and the U.S. — amid an ongoing trade war,new travel policies and repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st state — has had a lasting effect. In April, two million passengers decided to travel by air within Canada. That number refers to Canadians and non-Canadian residents who passed through pre-board security screening at airport checkpoints. That was a nearly 7.5 per cent increase since last April. It even surpassed the amount of people who travelled domestically in April 2019, before the COVID pandemic. Rather than flying to the U.S., 1.4 million passengers sought out international trips this April. That was an increase of seven per cent since the same time last year — and a 19 per cent increase since before the pandemic. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When it came to taking a trip to the United States, travel south of the Canadian border continued on a downward trend. There were 1.1 million passengers who opted to fly to the U.S. in April. That was nearly 6 per cent less than the amount of travellers last year and 'the third consecutive month of year-over-year decreases,' according to Statistics Canada. It was also a 12.5 per cent decrease since April 2019. Travel to and from the U.S. is mostly concentrated at Canada's four largest airports in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. When combined, they represent more than 90 per cent of traffic across the border, per Statistics Canada. In April, for a third straight month, those airports 'recorded year-over-year decreases in screened passenger counts for flights to the United States.' At Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International airport, there was a drop of 5.3 per cent of such travellers and at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International airport, a drop of 10.1 per cent. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At Vancouver's international airport, that number fell by 7.6 per cent, and in Calgary, by 1.6 per cent. However, there was still a surge of passengers travelling through eight of the largest airports in Canada this April. A total of 4.5 million of them went to airports in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton. That number was nearly four per cent higher than last year and nearly two per cent higher than in April 2019. Six of the eight major airports surpassed their April 2019 volumes of screened passenger traffic in April 2025. Only the Edmonton and Ottawa airports recorded a lower volume. Statistics Canada pointed out that Easter, which is a busy travel time, was in April in both 2025 and 2019, whereas last year it was in March. Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Vancouver Canucks Local News News Crime News
Vancouver Sun
37 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
U.S. crackdown on illegal immigrants is sending a surge of refugees to Canada
As fears of refugee deportation mount in the United States, a surge of asylum seekers is turning to Canada — only to find a border that is getting increasingly hard to cross. The number of refugee seekers processed by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has shot up by 87 per cent between January and April. In April, 494 ineligible refugee claimants from the U.S. were turned back at the Canadian border under the Safe Third Country Agreement, which bars most people from seeking asylum in Canada at the border. That's up from 280 in January — a 76 per cent increase. Growing refugee traffic at the Canadian border this year has emerged amid a looming clampdown on illegal immigration in the U.S. that experts say could trigger a flood of asylum seekers to Canada. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. A controversial U.S. move in late March that paused protected legal status for refugees from Colombia, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) is likely behind the spike, say immigration lawyers and researchers. 'That is what we would see as a major indicator towards potential migration flows northbound,' said Dan Anson, director general of intelligence and investigations for the CBSA. 'Those… main groups… are likely going to be targets of potential enforcement and removal operations (in the U.S.)' Toronto immigration lawyer Mario Bellissimo said his office has seen around a 200-per-cent jump in inquiries in the past week. 'Any time you have a dramatic announcement, it does prompt individuals to move,' he said. On Tuesday, the federal government responded to 'rising migration' concerns with new measures it says will make the country's immigration and asylum systems 'more responsive to new and developing pressures.' Among those steps will be new ineligibility rules to 'protect the asylum system against sudden increases.' The CHNV parole program in the U.S. initially offered 'parole' to certain Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to stay in the U.S. for two years. The Trump administration paused those protections on March 25, 2025. The following month, asylum claims processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) rose to 4,560, up from 2,940. A federal judge blocked Trump's order in April. CBSA data released to the Investigative Journalism Bureau on Tuesday shows a drop in refugee removals at the border in May following that court order. But the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the ruling on May 30, triggering renewed fears of deportation for migrants in legal limbo. An estimated 532,000 refugees from the four countries are now vulnerable to removal from the U.S while the back-and-forth court battle continues. Rosanna Berardi, an immigration lawyer in Buffalo, N.Y., called the shifting legal restrictions in the U.S. for refugees an 'emotional rollercoaster.' 'A lot of individuals will have to leave quickly and go elsewhere,' she said. 'Canada would be the easiest place to go with respect to logistics.' At some point, there's going to be people so desperate that it doesn't matter what kind of laws we have But those who do attempt to flee the U.S. clampdown by coming to Canada may face long odds of getting in. Under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, refugees must claim asylum in the first country they land in. Refugees coming from the U.S. cannot claim asylum in Canada unless they have close family in the country. 'They can attempt to come into Canada, but chances are they're gonna be returned to the U.S. And with that, they'll probably be held at the border,' said Evan Green, an immigration lawyer in Toronto. But many refugees either don't know about those restrictions or are too afraid to care, said Lori Wilkinson, a professor at the University of Manitoba specializing in refugee resettlement. 'At some point, there's going to be people so desperate that it doesn't matter what kind of laws we have,' she said. 'With Nicaragua, I think people don't understand there's been a many years-long drought and you either starve and die, or you pick up everything and walk through the Darien Gap and take your chances.' Kate Swanson, an immigration expert and international development professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said Haitians in the U.S. are heavily incentivized to come north given the long-standing humanitarian crisis and armed gang violence at home. 'Many of these individuals will look north for safety rather than face deportation back to the very conditions they fled,' she said. 'Clearly, the urgent humanitarian crisis persists, and I imagine that many of these individuals, especially those with family in Canada, will try to find safety here.' An economic crisis in Cuba has been worsened by natural disasters and blackouts that have at times left millions without power. In Venezuela, political repression and economic collapse have led to a refugee crisis. The Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health is a collaborative investigative newsroom supported by Postmedia that partners with academics, researchers and journalists while training the next generation of investigative reporters. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
