Canada's Harper says on track for balanced budget this year

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN (Reuters) - Canada is well on track to realize a balanced budget this year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper reiterated on Friday, saying that an economic slowdown caused by cheap oil prices was not the time to send the country into massive deficits. "Our budgeting is very conservative and we are well on track to realize a balanced budget this year," Harper told reporters. (Reporting by Rod Nickel, writing by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)