The Liberal government tabled its pre-election budget on March 19, 2019. The budget announced spending

initiatives with a special focus on housing, skills for a changing job market, targeted measures for seniors,

new support for zero-emission vehicles, steps toward implementing national pharmacare, and a commitment

to bring high-speed internet to every Canadian home and business. The budget also aims to reduce inequity

in our tax system, for example, by announcing the government’s intention to limit the stock option deduction

available to employees of large, established corporations. There were no changes to personal or corporate

income tax rates. The spending measures and updated economic forecast results in an updated annual

budgetary deficit for the 2018-19 fiscal year of $14.9 billion, compared to the $18.1 billion annual budgetary

deficit forecast by the government in its Fall Economic Statement (November 21, 2018).