Guelph NDP Federal Candidate – Response to Federal Budget 2010

I have heard this budget described as “bronze medal.” This shouldn’t be a surprise in these poor financial times and I’m still reeling from our three month Prorogation of Parliament!

The New Democratic Party certainly agrees with continuation of the stimulus spending but would prefer there was no end date and also that it be delivered through the gas tax. These must be good jobs, that is, mainly full – time and offering good wages and benefits. Mr. Flaherty is optimistic that the $54 billion deficit will be eliminated by 2014. He must remember that we are in the middle of the deepest global recession since the Second World War and that elevation of our situation is contingent upon a substantially improved American economy. Sadly, there are no guarantees that this will happen anytime soon. While Mr. Flaherty virtually eliminated tariffs of goods imported by Canadian businesses, he declined to extend the accelerated capital cost allowance (ACCA), which industry had wanted to keep. The ACCA is a good mechanism for improving the productively of Canadian industry and this is now an opportunity lost.

It is disappointing that there is nothing new for job creation in this budget. In addition, the Harper government plans to spend billions on corporate tax reductions thereby increasing the Employment Insurance Payroll tax to employers and employees, effectively shifting the burden of taxation from the corporations to workers. All of this is aimed at creating a $19 billion surplus that the government will use to balance its books. Tax cuts to corporations are consistently refuted by the NDP, especially when seniors and so many other Canadians live in poverty. New Democrats have long been advocating for pension reform, citing countless situations where workers have lost their pensions such as at Nortel and are having a hard time putting food on their tables. There is nothing in this budget to protect private pensions or improve public pensions. On the positive side, the government plans to create a new civilian, independent review and complaints commission to the RCMP. We can only hope that this will be an effective watchdog. NDP is pleased to see that the government views the current Child Tax Benefit as inadequate, but not convinced that $3.25 a week is going to provide much assistance to struggling families. 

Federal environmental assessments on new energy projects are to be removed from auspices of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and handed over to the Conservative – appointed National Energy Board and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. This demonstrates the Conservative government’s lack of commitment to the environment in favour of their petroleum industry masters. Finally, the 2010 budget contains no significant spending to stimulate the development and adoption of technology that will enable Canada to meet its emission targets. This kind of spending leads to more jobs for Canadian workers while assisting the country in fighting climate change. The Harper Conservatives have no vision for Canada and show no leadership in leading this country out of these perilous times.