Winnipeg Free Press Save to Read Later As the Canadian government carves out an economic path forward beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, Manitoba business leaders and stakeholders have mixed feelings about Ottawa’s fiscal blueprint for the country. As the Canadian government carves out an economic path forward beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, Manitoba business leaders and stakeholders have mixed feelings about Ottawa’s fiscal blueprint for the country. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland unveiled the first federal budget in more than two years on Monday, touting it as a "lifeline" for workers and struggling businesses, with a pandemic-sized asterisk that things could still change drastically if vaccine supplies are delayed or if they prove inefficient against emerging variants of the coronavirus.