Independent Canadian public-finance educationUpdated 2026-07-31
Canada Deficit & DebtExplained clearly
Editorial author

Michael R. Northfield

Independent research and plain-language public-finance writing.

MN

About the byline

Michael R. Northfield is the editorial pen name used for the site’s researched explainers. The author does not claim to be a government official, economist, accountant or financial adviser.

Research method

Articles begin with primary publications from the Department of Finance Canada, Receiver General, Statistics Canada, Bank of Canada and Parliamentary Budget Officer. Definitions are kept consistent, figures are dated, and projections are separated from audited results.

Corrections

Factual corrections can be submitted through the publisher’s help desk from the contact page.