Complainant breaks down as cross-examination resumes in Hoggard sexual assault trial

OTTAWA – The federal government’s deficit has grown to $7.3 billion so far this fiscal year.

The Finance Department’s latest fiscal monitor says the deficit between April and July compares with a $1.2 billion deficit over the same period last year.

Revenues during the four-month period increased by $14.9 billion, or 10.2 per cent, from April to July 2023.

Program expenses excluding net actuarial losses were up $17.5 billion, or 13.5 per cent, as the federal government spent more on programs and transfers to provinces and territories.

Public debt charges rose by $4.2 billion, or 28.8 per cent, due to higher interest rates.

Net actuarial losses fell by $0.8 billion, or 23.2 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

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HALIFAX – In what’s become a September pattern in Nova Scotia politics, the province’s finance minister is again projecting a bigger deficit than anticipated in his spring budget.

However, unlike what’s occurred in the past two years, Finance Minister Allan MacMaster says he’s worried that the flow of red ink won’t be reversed by higher-than-forecast revenues as the year progresses.

MacMaster announced today the deficit forecast for 2024-25 has increased $187 million to $654 million on his $16.7 billion budget, due to higher department spending and a slowing flow of tax revenue.

The finance minister says that this year he’s a bit nervous about the trends, as tax revenues are forecast to be about $70 million less than anticipated in the spring budget.

The minister says the softening of revenues is a “small but … notable” trend, and his officials will be carefully observing more detailed tax data expected in November.

The forecast also includes about $243 million more in spending than forecast, including measures that weren’t announced or anticipated in the spring budget.

The provincial government has overestimated its deficit by wide margins in recent years and has made a number of spending announcements outside the spring budget process — drawing critiques from the auditor general for spending public money without the same legislative oversight that the budget receives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

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ZURICH (AP) — Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer died on Friday, one day after crashing at the road world championships. She was aged 18.

“Muriel Furrer sadly passed away today at Zurich University Hospital,” race organizers said in a statement.

Furrer suffered a head injury on Thursday in the junior women’s event raced on rain-slicked roads and was airlifted by helicopter to the hospital.

“With the passing of Muriel Furrer, the international cycling community loses a rider with a bright future ahead of her,” the International Cycling Union said in a statement.

Furrer is the second Swiss cyclist to have died crashing on home roads in the past two seasons.

Gino Mäder suffered a fatal crash at the Tour de Suisse in June 2023. The 26-year-old rider went off the road and crashed down a ravine during a descent and died from his injuries the next day.

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