Experts Agree: Harper distorts data, misleads Canadians about phony “surplus”

August 29, 2015

David Dodge:  The numbers “don’t tell you very much of anything”

OTTAWA – Stephen Harper cannot be trusted. Harper is blatantly misleading Canadians about a phony “surplus” by distorting yesterday’s Finance Canada monthly data report, even though he knows he is running an eighth consecutive deficit.

The experts agree:

DAVID DODGE (FORMER BANK OF CANADA GOVERNOR):

“First of all, the quarterly numbers or monthly numbers, fiscal numbers especially at the start of the year don’t tell you very much of anything. As a deputy and former deputy for ministry of Finance, I learned very much not to rely on those numbers very much at all as an indicator of where you are going over the course of the whole year.” 
(CBC The National, August 29, 2015)

KEVIN PAGE (FORMER PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER):

“[Kevin Page] cautioned, “We are still many months away from pronouncing on a budgetary balance for the year.”
(Canadian Press, August 28, 2015)

GLOBE & MAIL:

“Finance Canada itself cautioned against reading too much into the early figures. The department said the numbers “provide limited information” with respect to the outlook for the year as a whole.”
(Globe & Mail, August 29, 2015)

CBC NEWS:

“Broadly speaking, Ottawa’s finances tend to oscillate between surplus and deficit from month to month, no matter if the annual figure is positive or negative, due to seasonal factors.”
(CBC News, August 29, 2015)

Experts have confirmed that Canada is the only G7 country in recession and that Harper is currently running a deficit; the Parliamentary Budget Officer said so in July.

Just like the PMO Duffy scandal, Stephen Harper is not telling the truth.