Trevor Tombe
@trevortombe.bsky.social
8.8K followers 130 following 300 posts
Professor of Economics, University of Calgary | Director, Fiscal/Econ Policy, The School of Public Policy | Alum U of T & SFU | Inflation, carbon taxes, equalization, internal trade, R, and more! | 💻 📊 📝 🍻
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trevortombe.bsky.social
I have no insight there. Very happy to defer to those who do.
trevortombe.bsky.social
Interesting point about summers!
trevortombe.bsky.social
I wasn't arguing against raising taxes in the piece. That's certainly one way to ensure debt/GDP doesn't rise without bound, and it's certainly fair to view that policy option was superior to cutting program spending. The piece took no position either way.
trevortombe.bsky.social
You're probably sarcastic there, but I'll reply anyway: Lindsay is a public finance expert. I have all the time in the world for critiques from her. Only through discussion, points and counterpoints, etc., can our understanding of important issues move forward.
Reposted by Trevor Tombe
lindsaytedds.bsky.social
Not sure who might want/need an alternative perspective but a 44% debt-to-GDP ratio is not concerning and any ones perspective (well not a Hub’s reader) on that should seriously change on that if they look at that if they consider the graph with the x -axis set at 0 #kirstingraphs
trevortombe.bsky.social
The real danger lies not in the growing size of today’s deficit, but in failing to plan prudently for what comes next.

My latest for @TheHubCanada on federal finances: thehub.ca/2025/10/01/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Trevor Tombe: The budget warning that Canada cannot ignore
thehub.ca
trevortombe.bsky.social
It was great to be a part of this important conversation! Thanks to @thewalrus.ca for hosting it!

thewalrus.ca/the-walrus-t...
trevortombe.bsky.social
Canada to move all future budgets to the Fall: www.cbc.ca/news/politi...

For context, here's the timing of every federal budget since 1867. Nearly 80% of of all budgets were released by May; 68% by April. #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
The real danger lies not in the growing size of today’s deficit, but in failing to plan prudently for what comes next.

My latest for @TheHubCanada on federal finances: thehub.ca/2025/10/01/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Trevor Tombe: The budget warning that Canada cannot ignore
thehub.ca
trevortombe.bsky.social
Is Canada already in a recession?

My latest for @TheHubCanada explores the latest data thehub.ca/2025/09/17/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
From today's jobs report, Canada's unemployment rate rises to 7.1% (up 0.5 points this year). Alberta has seen a notable increase to 8.4% (the highest since 2017, excl. covid).

More from StatCan here: www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-qu... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
A separate Alberta would be a poorer Alberta.

My latest for @TheHubCanada on the fiscal and economic fantasies of those promoting independence:
thehub.ca/2025/07/24/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Trevor Tombe: A separate Alberta would be a poorer Alberta
thehub.ca
trevortombe.bsky.social
Canada’s 5 percent of GDP defence spending commitment comes with a fiscal reckoning. And it's more than an 'operating budget' problem.

My latest for @TheHubCanada explores the future of the federal budget: thehub.ca/2025/07/10/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
Did retaliatory tariffs affect Canadian imports from the U.S.? And what about consumer boycotts? Some new data provides some early answers.

My latest for @TheHubCanada: thehub.ca/2025/06/25/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
What a higher NATO military spending target means for Canada's finances. My latest for @TheHubCanada on the potential for a 3.5%+1.5% target for NATO members: thehub.ca/2025/06/12/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
How much did the carbon tax actually impact inflation?

My latest for @TheHubCanada: thehub.ca/2025/05/22/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
We unfortunately received some pointed critiques and even some attacks from some unhinged individuals (some politicians, and even a particular colleague at another university) for our work. Today's data is consistent with our work.
trevortombe.bsky.social
To clarify, it's not that inflation is 0.6% higher due to carbon taxes. But instead it's that "price levels" were 0.6% higher. So their removal resulted in a one-time 0.6% drop in the change in CPI.
trevortombe.bsky.social
Today's inflation data: avg prices rose 1.7% in April vs last year.

Absent carbon taxes, inflation would have been 2.3% in April (see: www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/...). This 0.6% effect validates research (incl. by myself and @dr_jen_winter) on the effect of CTaxes. #cdnecon #cdnpoli
trevortombe.bsky.social
Even when Canada's regional diversity causes tension (and, dare I say, alienation), it can be a good thing.

My latest for @TheHubCanada: thehub.ca/2025/05/15/... #cdnecon #cdnpoli
Trevor Tombe: Why an Alberta Accord makes sense
thehub.ca
trevortombe.bsky.social
Not sure why you're replying with this. Didn't claim otherwise and the paper unpacks the details.
trevortombe.bsky.social
Curious about the history and functioning of federal-provincial transfers in Canada? Here's a paper unpacking it all: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers...

Seems like it might become topical again in #cdnpoli and #ableg
trevortombe.bsky.social
It's been a month since Canada's federal consumer carbon price was eliminated. With the latest data from this morning, the effect on gasoline prices remains clear: nearly the full value of tax cut was passed to consumers. #cdnecon
trevortombe.bsky.social
I also appreciate that I put more weight on long term fiscal issues than most others, so concerns expressed today about medium term trajectories that aren't in and of themself a concern can seem misplaced. I could articulate things better, so value this feedback from you too. Genuinely.
trevortombe.bsky.social
Fair critique. When debt/GDP points up then that's a "potentially unsustainable direction" (since that cannot continue). Totally fair for one to have confidence that it would be turned downward later, but moving away from anchor and past commitments to do so is notable. My view, anyway.