The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, April 6, edition that central bankers do not have control over fiscal policy. The Globe's Mark Rendell writes that the Bank of Canada's influence, however, will be evident on the upcoming federal budget. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is under pressure, both politically and economically, to produce a document that does not hinder the reduction of interest rates. With borrowing costs near a two-decade high, Ms. Freeland has said her priority for the April 16 budget is creating the conditions for the BOC to start easing monetary policy. That means keeping the deficit within the fiscal guardrails announced in the fall, while trying to influence the pace of inflation in certain sectors, notably housing. In recent weeks, Ottawa has pre-emptively announced a series of budget measures targeting the cost of living. When it comes to inflation and interest rates, however, what Ottawa leaves out of the budget likely matters more than what it puts in. Ms. Freeland and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau need to build an argument for rate cuts with a dose of fiscal restraint. However, they also need to appear pro-active on cost-of-living and housing issues.