So, are we in a recession or not? Reaction from political leaders
Posted September 1, 2015 8:54 am.
Last Updated September 1, 2015 10:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – After GDP figures this morning showed Canada’s economy shrank for a second straight quarter, meeting the technical definition, our federal party leaders have some pretty different takes on the country’s financial situation.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was quick to take to Twitter this morning, posting “It’s official: We’re in a recession, and yet Stephen Harper denies it.”
At a campaign stop in Quebec, Trudeau said he can’t hide from the “R” word.
“It suggests to me that, quite frankly, Stephen Harper is completely out of touch with the reality that Canadians are going through across the country,” he said.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper sidestepped the quarterly GDP figures and focused instead on numbers for June which he says shows the economy is growing again after a stumble at the start of the year.
“The fact of the matter is that over 80 per cent of the economy has been growing, the Canadian economy as a whole is growing according to the June figures. That is the reality of the situation and that is good news,” he told a receptive crowd during a campaign announcement focusing on the manufacturing sector in Ontario.
Harper maintains it is mainly the energy sector dragging down the country’s economy, and only his Conservative party has the experience to weather any weakness.
