With visions of sugar plums, Canadians eagerly awaited Finance Minister Donald Fleming's appearance before Parliament to present the government's antirecession midterm budget. EXPECT FLEMING TO CUT TAXES, the Toronto Globe and Mail headlined. PREHOLIDAY BABY BUDGET BEARS GIFTS, predicted the Ottawa Citizen. One night last week Donald Fleming stood before Commons, and in his firm baritone voice spoke for 96 minutes. The news was mostly bad. The nation will end fiscal 1960 about $300 million in the red—bringing the Diefenbaker government's deficit to $1.3 billion in 3½ years. Instead of the...
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