The release of the federal budget yesterday brought few surprises, but plenty of opportunity for debate.

With total spending this year of $280.5 billion, up $12.8 billion from last year, the government will run on a $49.2 billion deficit. The government hopes to curb that deficit by 2015 and bring up back to the black shortly thereafter.

Of course NDP, and Liberals have their own beefs, but neither party is prepared to trigger an election on the issue.

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Here’s some of what’s being said across the internet:

• The Winnipeg Free Press gives an overview of this year’s winners and losers.
• Flaherty uses some effective misdirection by freezing the salaries of federal politicians.
• The Calgary Herald would like to see more help for struggling families.
• Despite an emphasis on becoming a “leader in green job creation” in the throne speech on Wednesday, the Conservatives gave little hope of following through on that promise.
• And contrary to some throne speech boasting, a freeze has been put on any increase in foreign aid. At least until 2o15.
• Even with Flaherty’s tight cutbacks, many people feel his projections are far too optimistic . Which means we’ll be in the red past the Conservatives 2015 prediction.
• Absent from the budget was any tinkering with arts funding, which drew mixed reactions from a community traditionally very skeptical of the Harper government.
• But if you happen to be a foreign investor, things are looking up. Amendments to the definition of “taxable Canadian property” has opened the floodgates, grab your life jackets.
• And Canada’s record breaking performance at the Olympics must have impressed someone in Ottawa because the Own the Podium campaign is getting a boost.
• Finally, the Ottawa Citizen cuts through the Flaherty fairytale and lets you know if his numbers really do add up.