Trudeau tells ministers openness, co-operation are key in minority government

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is asking his finance minister to cut taxes but also keep “fiscal firepower” on hand in case the economy goes bad.

Trudeau is giving detailed to-do lists to his cabinet today in “mandate letters” posted online.

His opening lines to every minister are heavy with reminders the Liberals have only a minority government and finding ways to co-operate with other parties and provincial governments will be critical.

In his letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Trudeau lays out a number of fiscal priorities, including reducing the federal debt relative to the size of Canada’s economy.