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The budget will start laying the foundation for proactive equal pay in Canada by accounting for the cost of pay equity in the federal public service and in federally regulated workplaces, said one government official familiar with the plan who spoke on condition of anonymity.

While it’s not clear how much the measures will cost, the price tag would likely be significant: the public service and federally regulated organizations together employ nearly 1.2 million people — more than six per cent of all workers in Canada.

“We’re going to work with our budget to make sure that we encourage young girls to think about what kind of jobs they can go into and we don’t have any things that stop women from being successful in the economy,” Morneau said Friday.

“The reason we want to do that is, first, because it’s fair and, second, because if everyone’s able to get to their full potential, whatever they want to do, then we’re all going to be more successful.”

Morneau is no doubt hoping for a more politically successful 2018 himself.

He took a beating last year from the opposition and from small-business owners over his widely panned tax-reform plan, allegations of conflict of interest and stinging ethical questions over how he arranged his substantial personal assets upon entering cabinet.

Tuesday’s budget could reopen at least one of those wounds. It will include draft legislation to limit the use of passive investment income by the top three per cent of the wealthiest incorporated individuals, one of the tax changes that proved such a political headache for the government last year.

That might have been on his mind Friday as he donned a sharp new pair of deer- and calf-leather Jasper Derby shoes, courtesy of Edmonton-based designer Poppy Barley.

“We’re hoping they fit,” he joked with the students. “If not, we’re going to have a rough day on Tuesday.”