Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland isn’t saying just how much in the red Canada’s books will be this year, blaming the effect such a statement might have on markets. Speaking to the Senate on Thursday, Freeland refused all attempts by senators to learn if her government will let the deficit surpass $400 billion. “I will not make projections today concerning the deficit,” she said. “That would not be prudent. I am the minister of finance. I know that everything I say has an impact on the market in Canada.” n July, the government projected a $343.2 billion deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. In August, Freeland announced that the deficit has increased $39 billion higher than the previous estimate.