Federal Surplus $6 Billion

Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said the federal government should achieve an $5.9-billion surplus this year.

That compares to $9.1 billion in 2003-04, he told the House of Commons finance committee on Tuesday.

The surplus is bolstered by the $2.6 billion the government received from its sale of Petro-Canada shares, by lower debt costs and the release of $1 billion in "economic prudence" from the previous budget year, he said. Full story