Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau unwrapped a $250 pair of black calf skin leather oxford shoes Monday that he’ll be wearing Wednesday to table the budget.Following the tradition of wearing a new pair of shoes to table the budget, Morneau picked shoes by Poppy Barley which he modeled for students at Nelson Mandela Public School in Toronto.Morneau shared photos of the reveal on Twitter, saying “I think my new shoes are a hit,” adding he’s looking forward to wearing shoes “designed by two inspirational Canadian women” on Wednesday. The shoes are from Poppy Barley, an Edmonton-based custom shoe company. “They’re definitely in terms of styling the dressiest shoe that we have,” said content and community director Caroline Gault, adding, “They’re extremely comfortable.”Morneau’s office reached out to Poppy Barley about a week and a half ago and bought the in-stock pair of shoes, which were cheaper than the $398 custom made version, said Gault.The 4.5-year-old company was founded by Canadian sisters Kendall and Justine Barber in 2012 and sells hundreds of pairs of shoes across the U.S. and Canada each month. “It’s really exciting for us a as a startup company,” said Gault of the minister’s choice to wear their shoes for the occasion. The Minister’s office selected the brand for its innovation, Canadian roots, ethical manufacturing, said Gault. “They loved that it was female founded as well,” she added.
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