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Defenders of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau always bristle when his critics bring up his infamous 2014 claim that “the budget will balance itself”.

They point out the full quote from Trudeau, then Liberal leader, was: “The commitment needs to be a commitment to grow the economy and the budget will balance itself.”

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Fair enough.

Since Trudeau is now PM, it’s 2017, and according to Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s fall economic statement on Tuesday, our economy is booming, the fair question to ask Trudeau now is: “When will the budget balance itself”?

Morneau boasted Canada has the fastest-growing economy in the G-7, unemployment is at its lowest level since 2008 and predicted economic growth of 3.1% this year, well above the forecast of 1.9% in his March budget.

What an ideal time, then, according to what Trudeau said in 2014, for the PM to reveal his path to a balanced budget, seeing as how he said the “budget will balance itself” during a period of economic growth.