Government program spending is still growing from sea to sea. Virtually every government in Canada is spending more in current dollars from one year to the next. Many are spending more in inflation-adjusted dollars, too. If they aren't, they're generally coming pretty close.

If no longer -- thank goodness -- the geo-political cockpit of Europe (caught between rival ideologies in the civil war era), Spain cannot be dismissed as a periphery or marginal country out of step with the European project. Spain has all the features of a highly efficient and accountable country, from its ability to produce majority governments from both the respectable left and right, its elaborate system of federalism, and its increased multicultural identity.

ATHENS, Greece - Greece's unemployment shot up to 21.9 per cent in March, rising sharply from the 15.7 per cent rate in the same month last year and u...

Quebec's unruly students are no different than the Greeks. Both have enjoyed free rides for years, both are being asked to pay their share of the tab and both are refusing to do so. The Greeks are going to fall behind the Romanians in living standards in short order while the students are making a fuss over a pittance. That makes the Quebec students, in a sense, even more irresponsible.

OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is warning the Canadian economy stands to feel the tremors from the political and financial quake in Greece.The...

For nearly 20 years, Alan Greenspan was the most powerful banker in the world as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board until 2006. Here, Greenspan speaks with National Post Editor-at-Large, and Huffington Post contributor Diane Francis regarding the eurozone crisis.

From last weekend's elections in France and Germany, highlighting a shift in the populace away from fiscal austerity, to the gridlock in Greece's parliament (and more probable threat that the country will leave the euro), the region has created a conundrum for investors.

The party that calls itself Europe is over. The sovereign debt crisis afflicting its weakest members has ended the eurozone's political Ponzi scheme -- the proclivity to hand out entitlements today and run up a tab due tomorrow.

If, as it appears, there is not enough money in the eurozone and probably the Union to save the euro from the Greek and Italian government assaults on its solvency, can the IMF really accomplish these bailouts on their behalf?

Canadian banks will be closing the books on the fiscal year come Halloween and no matter how this last quarter shakes out in terms of earnings, there will be at least a sigh of relief among executives that some of the intense concerns from back at the end of the third quarter (July) have dissipated.

ATHENS, Greece - Greek lawmakers have passed a deeply resented austerity bill that has led to violent protests on the streets of Athens, despite some ...

Do we understand exactly what has historically earned us top marks in the world's balanced scorecard -- and are we doing everything we can to maintain that wonderful distinction, primarily on behalf of those who will inherit this beautiful country from us?

ATHENS, Greece - To find symbolism in the Greek financial crisis, just go to the source. The national image on the two-euro coin in Greece depicts an ...