Harper's deficits minus surpluses totaled $120 billion in 9 years in office. During the financial crisis of 08/09 (at the time, the largest/worst recession since the Great Depression), Harper had the largest single annual deficit in Canadian history - at $55 billion. JT's Covid year results - was $300 billion deficit in a single year. So, if you want to compare - emergency vs emergence (i.e. recession vs Covid) JT's emergency situation year deficit was 5.5x that of Harper. You can debate which was worse until the cows come home (i.e. 08/09 recession vs Covid). But when two PM's were confronted with their own "emergencies" one tabled the largest single deficit (at the time) in Canadian history. And then JT basically said "hold my beer" - and tabled the new (5.5x the size of the previous largest record) largest single annual deficit in Canadian history of over $300 billion. Followed the next year with the 2nd largest single annual deficit in Canadian history of $90 billion. I don't know, I think JT wants the annual deficit podium all to himself! Again, the auditor general pegged total federal supports to Canadians during Covid at $211 billion and they created (just in the 1st two years of Covid) total deficits in excess of $400 billion. They did/are still doing, alot more borrowing/spending then just on Covid. I'm sure that's their excuse - clearly that's what you believe, but that doesn't mean that is the truth.If 1/4 of the deficit spending is non-wasteful and neccessary around covid as a conservative estimate , how does Harper now compare.
More important when comparing Harper and JT. Harper then proceeded to do as he said and reduced those deficits in following years to the point where he was able to post a small surplus in his final year. JT and this government, no longer talks about returning to balance - they don't even try to hide the fact that they don't have any clue/plan whatsoever to try and bring government finances into balance. You can complain all you want about "cons bad", whatever. You don't want to compare Harper to JT on their fiscal record. Harper did everything he could to reverse his record deficit and bring the books (over time) back into a balance - the same cannot be said for this current government.






