The federal government under Trudeau is bigger — but not as big as it used to be

On the eve of the Liberal government’s eighth budget, and with the size and shape of the federal government becoming a focus of political debate, it's worth taking stock of what has changed during the Trudeau era in Ottawa — and placing it in its historical context.

The federal government under Trudeau is bigger — but not as big as it used to be
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland enter the House of Commons to deliver the budget on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

On the eve of the Liberal government’s eighth budget, and with the size and shape of the federal government becoming a focus of political debate, it's worth taking stock of what has changed during the Trudeau era in Ottawa — and placing it in its historical context.