The U.S. federal government was shut down at midnight this
morning after a funding bill did not get 60 votes in the United
States Senate. While the politicians work to find a solution before
Monday, Canadians are reminded that the last U.S. federal
government shut down lasted 16 days and a previous shutdown lasted
27 days. The political climate in the United States today is
much different. Whether a bi-partisan deal can be reached is
uncertain at best and unlikely at worst.
Approximately 700,000 U.S. federal government employees, who are
deemed "non-essential", will be furloughed. This
means they will be put on leave until a funding bill has
passed. Workers who are considered to be essential (military,
law enforcement, border enforcement, national security, hospitals,
federal courts, etc.) will still work, but many without any
pay. As a result, Canadians should consider how the U.S.
federal government shutdown will affect Canadians.