While the deficit forecast for the year 2023-2024 remains at $4 billion, the message from the Quebec Finance Minister this Tuesday, according to actors, is clear: there is no more room for maneuver.
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“It is time to put both feet on the spending brake and bring it back to a level of control that is sustainable in the long term,” says political scientist Emmanuelle Latraverse.
Having realized that Minister Girard was probably working under simpler conditions, the journalist understands that the economic update presented today was not written in a “pre-disaster” environment. The minister’s statements rather indicate that the situation is “precarious, we have to be careful, there is no more room for maneuver,” the analyst concludes.
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With the $8 billion budget available to the Treasury president, Ms. Latraverse said two options appear to be available: “Either we push back the balanced budget.” [prévu pour l’année 2027-2028] and we run bigger deficits or else […] We are foregoing tax cuts.”
Players believe the spending book needs to be revised. “The time for good ideas is over,” shouts former PQ MP Stéphane Bédard. “The government has experienced a phenomenal increase in spending since its term in office,” he explains.
Mr. Bédard recognizes that the negotiations between the provincial government and the joint strike front are stalled, pointing out that the restrictions imposed by the budget on the President of the Ministry of Finance are not “just” caused [par] Salary increase.
“These are new editions,” he adds
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