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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to keep the country’s debt declining in relation to the size of the economy, even as he drives up the deficit with infrastructure spending. The commodities slump means he’ll have little margin for error.

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It could be time to end the debate over the benefits of using monetary policy versus government fiscal muscle to stop the economy from going over the edge.

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Trudeau could push the deficit to at least $20 billion — doubling his initial proposal — and still keep the ratio of debt-to-gross domestic product declining, according to economists’ estimates. Plunging oil prices, which have led to billions of dollars in investment cuts and cost more than 40,000 energy jobs in Canada’s resource-based economy, suggest he’s bumping up against the cap already.

“There’s not a lot of playroom for the finance minister and the government to figure this out, to stay underneath their commitment of declining debt-to-GDP,” said Kevin Milligan, a University of British Columbia economics professor. The worsening economy is a double-whammy for Trudeau as it increases the deficit while lowering GDP forecasts. “It’s kind of pushing from both ends.”