[biguc]

Canada could be more like Germany. The conservative government here maintained large budget surpluses, even at the cost of making necessary investments and maintaining core services, right up to the pandemic, when they larded on about €450 billion in debt. We have a centre-left coalition now but a legal debt break is making sure they keep those finances tight, which means keeping the economy in a grinding recession.

Canada's finances and economic fundamentals look enviable right now. I'd think, given the age and wealth of posters calling them shameful and inventing "reasonable" covid debts from thin air, that their performative apoplexy has more to do with the capital gains tax than sincere concern for the country's well-being.