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Fiscal hawks are an endangered species in Canada.

In Ottawa, the Trudeau government is betting — actually borrowing — that Canadians don’t care about government debt.

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Most of the time that’s a pretty good bet.

Canadians don’t seem particularly perturbed about governments running perpetual deficits. Trudeau and company have barely blushed over breaking their promise to balance the budget (maybe that was a stretch goal) and forecasting deficits until 2050 or beyond.

Meanwhile, in Ontario, the Ford government is facing the bitter reality that comes after years of profligate spending.

For over a decade governments have increased the various services Ontarians receive (think full-day junior kindergarten) without recovering the cost of these programs from tax revenue.

In this fiscal wonderland, where increased public spending doesn’t require increased taxes, citizens get all sorts of free things. Having happily left the constraints of reality, people can hardly be blamed for wanting to keep the free stuff flowing.