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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is edging away from his election campaign’s pledge to hold the deficit to $10 billion and now says this is just a “goal” as the Liberal government makes spending to spur economic growth its priority.

Trudeau made the remarks at a news conference Wednesday shortly after the House of Commons passed a motion to raise taxes for many high-income earners while cutting the rate in a lower tax bracket.

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The change — which the Liberals say will put more money into the pockets of middle-class Canadians — will come with a $1.2-billion cost to the federal treasury.

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The tax increase on the rich that was supposed to pay for the tax cut for the near rich is at least $1 billion short of the mark and probably $2 billion, because — who knew? — the Liberals have discovered the rich tend to respond to government attempts to take more of their income by reporting less of it.