JASON FRANSON

The big news: Jim Flaherty’s balancing act

Also: Rob Ford faces off against city council, rower crosses the Atlantic solo

November 13, 2013

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The story Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered his annual fall economic update. Flaherty’s mission since the government started running deficits in 2009 has been to balance the books. He did confirm the government’s timeline to that end, and also announced he’ll run for reelection in 2015—a surprise to those who thought Flaherty’s health struggles might push him into retirement.

The stat Flaherty projects a $3.7-billion budget surplus in 2015-16, which just so happens to be an election year.

The quote "Draining the swamp of big government has worked before. If it works again, voters may have forgotten all about Mike Duffy’s $90,000 cheque by election day." —John Ivison, writing in the National Post

What’s above the fold

The Globe and Mail	The federal government says the Senate isn’t politically independent.
National Post	Conservatives hope for a $3.7-billion budget surplus in 2015-16.
Toronto Star	Toronto city councillors are urging Rob Ford to take a leave of absence.
Ottawa Citizen	The opposition worries Harper’s government will sell important assets.
CBC News	Ford will learn just how many councillors have turned against him.
CTV News	POLL: 72 per cent say Ford refusing to step down is "not acceptable."
National Newswatch	Ford says he’s ready to defend himself at city council.

What you might have missed

*THE NATIONAL*	Transatlantic rower. Mylene Paquette, a 35-year-old Montrealer, completed a rowing trip across the North Atlantic in 129 days. On her trip from Halifax to coastal France, Paquette capsized 10 times and confronted waves the size of buildings. She was followed by wildlife for days at a time.
*THE GLOBAL*	Cambodian unrest. Police cracked down on striking garment workers who demanded higher wages, killing one and injuring eight. The protesters, who work for SL Garment Processing (Cambodia) Ltd., hoped to march to the residence of Hun Sen, the Cambodian Prime Minister.