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    • How will Liberals pay for billions in promised spending, loans? Freeland won't say if wealth taxes coming

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    While selectively rolling out elements targeting millennials and Generation Z, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland won't say whether next week's federal budget could include higher taxes for corporate Canada or major grocers.

    On Tuesday, while touting the latest $500-million pre-budget pledge, Freeland faced questions from reporters about how the Liberals plan to finance what has now accumulated to more than $35 billion in new money and loans promised to be included the 2024 federal budget.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has ruled out raising taxes on the middle class, pointing back to the Liberals' 2015 middle class tax cut. 

    This commitment came after Families Minister Jenna Sudds backtracked from saying there would be "no new taxes" introduced to stating Canadians would have to "see the budget" when pressed if that meant the Liberals had ruled out a wealth or excess profit tax. 

    When Freeland was asked Tuesday whether there are going to be new or higher taxes for wealthier Canadians or corporate Canada, she did not directly answer.

    "Here's what I'll say about the fiscal picture in the budget. We recognize that there is an urgent need today to invest in Canada, and Canadians, and we recognize in particular that we're at really a pivotal moment for young Canadians… And that's something that we have to do something about. That requires investments. We are making them," Freeland said.

    "We are absolutely committed to making those investments in a fiscally responsible framework. And we're going to do that."

    In a follow-up question, Freeland was asked about a Liberal-backed NDP motion advanced at the House Finance Committee calling on the government to implement an excess profit tax on large grocery companies, and whether that's on the table for this budget.

    "I was clear about the direction of travel for our government in my previous answer. So we really believe now is the moment that we have to make investments and we're going to do it, because Canada needs those investments. And especially young Canadians need us to make those investments," Freeland said in response.

    Freeland went on to say that the Liberals still believe in balancing this new spending to remain fiscally responsible and not inflationary, but offer no indications about where additional revenue may come from other than insisting it will not be on the backs of "hardworking middle class Canadians."

    In an interview on Â鶹ӰÊÓ Channel's Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Monday, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux said based on his calculations, if the Liberals are looking to implement a wealth tax, it'll be "very delicate," given how easy it can be for these assets to be moved out of Canada.

    As for an excess profit tax on corporations, Giroux said the Liberals would have to define what they consider normal profits, and face the risk of investors moving to other sectors that are less likely to be targeted by excess profit taxes.

    Asked to explain why the government has chosen to pre-announce certain elements of the budget before it is tabled, Freeland said she thinks they "owe it to Canadians to explain to them what it is our government is doing" to meet the country's current challenges.

    Freeland will be tabling the 2024 federal budget in the House of Commons one week from now.

    Giroux said what he'll be looking for "is how all these expenditures are going to be financed."

    "That'll be my main focus, whether it's taxes, we'll see, or whether it's a reduction in other areas." 

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

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    opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

    A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

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    Canada

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

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    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    • Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

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    Lifestyle

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    Sports

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    • Heading into Friday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

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    Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    • The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    • British Columbia Conservative Party Leader John Rustad was at a low point in his life two years ago, both personally and politically.

    • The leader of British Columbia's Green Party faces an uphill battle one month before the provincial election as she faces off against an incumbent cabinet minister in a Victoria riding that's long been held by a New Democrat.

    • Toronto police say they have now identified a third person who they believe was involved in a shooting that left two men dead in North York earlier this week.

    • A man is fighting for his life in hospital a day after a vehicle smashed into several others in and around an intersection in Milton before flipping over.

    • Toronto police say an officer was injured after police pursued a robbery suspect onto the tracks at Bloor-Yonge Station late last night.

    • Heading into Friday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • The man charged with fatally stabbing lifelong Banff resident Ethan Enns-Goneau in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder.

    • Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.

    • The family of a 30-year-old woman from eastern Ontario and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are renewing a call asking for help finding her, one year after she went missing.

    • A joint police operation to promote safe driving on Highway 417 in the Ottawa area has resulted in laying dozens of charges in three hours Friday, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • An Ottawa driver is facing charges after being caught going 173 km/h on Highway 417 near Palladium Drive, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    • Montreal Police (SPVM) say residents of a home in the Saint-Laurent borough were evacuated early Saturday morning after a vehicle fire spread to the house.

    • Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating a suspected arson attack that occurred early Saturday morning in the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc Extension borough.

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

    • New Brunswick’s Green Party leader David Coon announced his commitment to restore services cut by previous Liberal and Conservative governments to rural parts of the province on Saturday.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    • Winnipeg police are investigating after a home invasion in the city’s River East neighbourhood early Friday morning.

    • Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • Wynyard RCMP responded to a serious collision on Highway 16 just north of Dafoe, Sask. on Friday night.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • The provincial government is considering new rules to restrict a municipality’s ability to install new bike lanes if it means traffic lanes would be removed.

    • A new scam is being reported in communities across the country.

    • Heading into Friday's game against the Calgary Stampeders, quarterback Trevor Harris said he and his Saskatchewan Roughriders were "ready to rock."

    • The City of Saskatoon is proposing changes to the proposed downtown shelter site plan following feedback from nearby residents and businesses.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    • A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London’s south end on Friday afternoon.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.

    • GO Transit will be using buses on the Barrie Line this weekend due to track upgrades and repairs.

    • A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.

    • A new report released by Statistics Canada has analyzed the rate of post-secondary attendance between young immigrants and domestic students.

    • The final phase of investigation in downtown Wheatley is nearing completion over three years after a major gas explosion.

    • The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    • British Columbia Conservative Party Leader John Rustad was at a low point in his life two years ago, both personally and politically.

    • The leader of British Columbia's Green Party faces an uphill battle one month before the provincial election as she faces off against an incumbent cabinet minister in a Victoria riding that's long been held by a New Democrat.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way’s annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.

    • Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

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