Sluggish Economy: Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: The budget, expected Feb. 11, comes at a time when the Conservatives are coping with a still-building Senate scandal , a sluggish economy and uncertainties bogging down their key economic strategy of expanding oil exports through new pipelines , according to The Star. Last years performance was another disappointment. Estimated economic growth for 2013 came in at a meager 1.8 per cent, following an equally unimpressive 1.7 per cent the previous year and OTTAWA As the Conservatives gear up for a budget focused on future tax-cut promises, they re hoping for better economic news to take the focus off the pitfalls Prime Minister Stephen Harper faces at the halfway point of his majority mandate. Harper has built past electoral successes around a reputation for economic management. But, while the country survived the 2008-09 recession better than most industrialized nations, the lingering impact of the global slowdown has held Canada back ever since. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.