The Canadian federal budget for fiscal year 1989–90 was presented to the House of Commons of Canada by finance minister Michael Wilson on 27 April 1989.

[2] In the months leading up to the budget, the government often brought up the subject of the debt and the deficit in public appearances, making the case that it was putting the Canadian economy in great danger.

According to Gallup polling data from March 1989, the deficit was ranked second in the list of the people's major concerns, with 18% saying it was the issue that required the greatest attention (behind the environment at 28%).

He had received the documents that afternoon from John Appleby, a Department of National Defence clerk (whose friend worked at the recycling plant where it was found).

[4] This forced minister Wilson to call a press conference[5] at 5:30 PM that day, where he improvised the early release of the budget.

[1] Brian Mulroney called the leak a criminal act, and charged Small, Appleby, the recycling plant worker and 2 others of possession of stolen property.

On the day the budget was leaked, NDP leader Ed Broadbent called on finance minister Michael Wilson to resign.

[1] Almost every Canadian labour unions reacted very negatively to the budget, criticizing its tax increases and its lack of job-creating measures.