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By Aaron Schulze

ONE MAN'S OPINION

COLLINS: Can the new budget pull us through the turmoil?

Nov 6, 2025 | 6:06 AM

COLLINS: New budget: Can it pull us through the turmoil?

WHEN YOU’RE PRESENTED with a massive document like the federal budget, you are drawn to the big-ticket items.

For example, in Mark Carney’s budget this week, you probably saw items that would have made your jaw drop. You might have noticed that the government is going to drop the luxury tax, obviously a saving for those who have all those yachts and planes. A tax on underused homes and some potential moves on climate change.

The Liberals would have you believe, incorrectly, that some of these changes will create more breathing room for the CRA, the agency that is pretty much hamstrung by cutbacks in service. They will be given responsibility to catch offenders at the same time their numbers are being reduced. That’s a kind of a Donald Trump move isn’t it?

There are way too many smaller measures that need much more explaining before they all make sense. In short, they will be so hard to interpret that no one will understand them, even the people who drew them up. They will play the circle game for months and maybe longer, until the government, accountants and the CRA determine this legislation was stupid anyway.

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So many of these items in the fine print will be discovered in the next few weeks. They have been hidden away, waiting for some journalist to say, “what in God’s name is this about” and after questioning the powers that be, finds out that someone liked the sound of the wording, but failed to flesh it out.

Or, worst-case scenario, the line opens the door for some plan to add taxes we don’t even know about. We will have to wait for a while, but things like border security, youth unemployment, and rules regarding oil and gas will all get their moment in the Spotlight.

Hopefully the Opposition can find enough in the budget to allow them to pass it. A failure of such a crucial vote would give Donald Trump a huge shot in the arm, just when we’ve got the pressure on.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.