Budget delivers measures to grow the economy, but fails to deliver urgently needed transformation and generational change

A new Council of Canadian Academies report underlines that bolder and more ambitious policies for innovation and productivity are needed now, more than ever.
Don’t forget the kids, health advocates tell feds

Children are ‘an afterthought,’ ‘get attention in a crisis, but not beyond,’ say advocates as they push for strategic action and funding for kids’ wellness.
‘Quiet buzz’ on Bay Street about Carney’s ‘nation-building’ major projects, says Tobin

The potential impact of these projects is up for debate as many are located in individual provinces or territories, and were previously approved by those jurisdictions. Meanwhile, the federal government wants to accelerate the construction of the Alto High-Speed Rail, Canada’s first high-speed railway from Toronto to Quebec City.
Bloc Leader Blanchet’s expletive about government’s budget negotiation strategy ‘not suitable for work,’ says Government House Leader MacKinnon

The Liberals are polling much higher than the Bloc Québécois, and time will tell ‘whose ass get bitten here,’ says Liberal MP Marcus Powlowski.
‘I’m not into games’: NDP MP Johns defends decision to abstain from budget vote

After meeting with municipal and Indigenous leaders in his B.C. riding, all of whom opposed an election, NDP MP Gord Johns says he was ‘confident’ in his decision to intentionally sit out the Nov. 17 budget vote.
Canada’s AI imperative: go big and bold

By rapidly implementing initiatives and scaling collaboration, Canada can shape AI’s global future on its terms.
Budget 2025 could have enhanced Canada’s military mobility by investing in roads and rails

Without key defence infrastructure, the task of deterring, confronting, and combatting adversaries that pose a threat will be insurmountably difficult.
Budget cuts in defence: an opportunity to align needs and outputs?

The concern around cuts revolves around resources, but we tend to underappreciate the cultural and structural impacts.
Pivot to ‘economic reconciliation’ risks ‘squandering’ political goodwill as Indigenous social programs face funding gaps: observers

First Nations and Inuit leaders say the 2025 budget is a ‘missed opportunity’ with financial sunsets looming for critical education, health-care, and urban programs.
Coastal communities ‘running out of time’ without fisheries fund renewal, say opposition critics as DFO faces $544M in cuts

While the government is fast-tracking national projects, it’s ‘reducing DFO’s ability to assess the risks these projects pose to critically important species like salmon,’ says B.C. professor Michael Price.