The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that after going after the telcos, the federal government's new target are the banks. The Globe's Rita Trichur writes that Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland took aim at financial institutions again this week when she announced a flurry of policy changes, ostensibly to help Canadians contend with higher interest rates. The trouble lies with the government's war on banking fees. It might seem like a pro-consumer move, but it will not reduce borrowing costs. Worse still, it has the potential to create additional revenue pressure for financial institutions already experiencing falling loan demand and rising credit risk. The Trudeau government seems to be making a sport of politicizing banking regulation in recent years. However, since lenders are increasingly shedding jobs to contain costs, this latest move is spectacularly ill-timed. Banks are easy targets for consumer contempt, and yes, they're certainly adept at nickel-and-diming us, but the Liberal government is playing a dangerous game by beating up on banks. The Business Council of Canada, Canadian Chamber of Commerce and TMX Group have all been vocal critics of Ottawa's proposals targeting banks in recent years.