Canada headed for budget surplus in 3-4 years: Flaherty

WASHINGTON: Canada's federal government will balance its books within three to four years, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty told an American audience on Wednesday.  Speaking to the Council of the Americas in Washington, he said he would re-introduce his budget in June.

The budget was rejected by Canada's opposition parties in March. The Tory government's refusal to detail its spending priorities subsequently led to a snap election that returned a majority Tory government to Ottawa.

"This time I can say with some certainty it will be passed and it is a budget that leads us back to a balanced budget in the medium term, in three to four years," Flaherty said.