Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has chosen a pair of black lace-up dress shoes, in keeping with the tradition of donning new footwear before tabling a budget in the House of Commons.
Morneau unveiled the shoes at Nelson Mandela Park Public School in Toronto on Monday morning.
Looking forward to wearing @PoppyBarley's on Wednesday - designed by two inspirational Canadian women. #Budget2017. pic.twitter.com/X7Mgqawu7P
— Bill Morneau (@Bill_Morneau) March 20, 2017
The shoes were designed by Canadian sisters Justine and Kendall Barber, of Poppy Barley. The company says the shoes are "ethically made in Mexico."
Although Morneau's selection is fairly unremarkable fashion-wise, finance ministers in the past have used the occasion to make a statement. Former Conservative finance minister Joe Oliver sported a pair of New Balance sneakers before tabling a balanced budget in 2015. His predecessor, Jim Flaherty, opted to re-sole his shoes in 2008 and 2011.
Former finance minister John Crosbie once sported mukluks ahead of tabling his budget in 1979, and in 1994, then-prime minister Jean Chretien gave his finance minister, Paul Martin, a pair of work boots.
