Argus

And yet this year's splurge was the largest in 11 years, just large enough for the Liberals to claim there was a deficit last year.

yes - you're echoing just what Joe Oliver said in his article! Does it really matter if there was a minimal surplus... or a minimal deficit? One can say the exact same thing to you about the creative handiwork done by Harper Conservatives to (supposedly) arrive at that minimal projected surplus announcement... timed coincidentally to be announced right in the peak of the election campaign! Just coincidence, right?

As Oliver said correctly: Liberals inherited surplus. If tenants moved into an immaculate house in October & trashed it in March it was their fault not previous tenants.