I think what you will find is that the full impact of the recession will be felt in the current and the upcoming year, and that in part, the fact that the deficit was reasonably small in 2008-09 is a reflection of the timing of the recession--that it took place in the latter part of the year.
Having said that, the deficit-to-GDP ratios that the federal government and Canada writ large will incur are much smaller than those occurring in other countries.