A financial analyst is accusing government of saying one thing and doing something else when it comes to tackling spending and the deficit.

In 2020, total expenses were running at $8.4 billion – that’s up to $10 billion in this year’s budget.

Government borrowing this year is at $2.8 billion dollars.

Larry Short, senior wealth advisor at Short Financial IA Private Wealth, calls it a recurring theme with no apparent plan to rein in spending.

“Back then…I was critical of the government because they didn’t have a plan to how to reduce the spending and now they’ve got the Green Report and the Health Accord and there doesn’t seem to be an implementation of either. So, they have plans in hand, but the actual emphasis on spending is not taking place and our debt continues to grow.”

Short suspects government is holding the line in anticipation of next year’s budget.

“Next year being an election year,” says Short, “no goodies in this budget, but keeping the powder dry in the event that we can end up with ‘Furey Bucks’ – that $500 dollar payment that we were getting there a couple of years ago – and potential for some cuts here and there which is normally delivered in an election year.”