The Pallister government provided some details for the increase in the deficit Wednesday afternoon.
Revenues are down $174 million due to less tax revenue and federal financial assistance. On the expenditure side, spending is up $94 million, more than half of that from flood claims. That leaves $78 million unaccounted for by the government.
Manitoba’s new Finance Minister said the hole in the province's bank account is deeper than voters were lead to believe.
Cameron Friesen said the deficit is more than $1 billion; that $346 million more than the previous government reported prior to the election.
Friesen said the NDP deliberately concealed the fiscal picture just days before the campaign began.
The minister said revenues were overstated and expenditures understated.
New Democrat James Allum accused the Conservatives of inflating the deficit while providing no details to back up the figure. The Finance Critic said the Pallister government's projections will lead to service cuts.
The Premier has promised not to touch frontline workers or services while he attempts to trim government fat.
Minister Friesen would not put a date on when the budget could be balanced.
Friesen will present a full budget on May 31.
