Hour 2 of Ottawa Now for Mon. February 16th, 2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has warned of “significant” deficits in her upcoming budget on Thursday, with analysts forecasting a shortfall somewhere around $10 billion. While Smith has made a point of warning voters about the red ink her United Conservative Party is about to spill, however, the projected deficit is hardly out of the ordinary. Alberta, despite its politicians’ tendency for loud proclamations in favour of fiscal restraint, has run budget shortfalls in all but five of its annual budgets over the last 18 years.  The repeated budget gaps underscore the unique...