Finance Minister Joe Oliver said “Canada’s fiscal house is in order” upon unveiling a balanced federal budget Tuesday, while critics are calling it “political” given the looming election slated for this fall, or sooner if the government calls a snap election.
Oliver tabled the budget promising job creation, growth and long- term prosperity.
The budget comes a few months later than usual, but six months before the federal election scheduled for Oct. 19, 2015 and candidates for the new Courtenay-Alberni riding have mixed reviews. Conservative John Duncan, who is the incumbent MP for Vancouver Island North and government whip, said the budget was all-encompassing.
“Yes it was balanced and yes it did a lot for small businesses, for seniors and for families, it also dealt with issues in the forestry industry and infrastructure needs, people with disabilities and people caring for those who are gravely ill — so it covered a lot of bases,” Duncan told The NEWS from Ottawa.
It’s been well-received by Canadians and by stakeholders.”
NDP candidate Gord Johns called the budget “disappointing” saying it “demonstrates, once again, that the Conservatives take B.C. for granted.”
“There’s nothing in it for tourism, sports, recreation, environmental protection — the budget doesn’t even mention climate change which is appalling and an important issue for people in our area,” Johns told The NEWS. “There’s nothing to repair the failed consultation with First Nations and nothing on missing and murdered women.”
Johns did credit the government for reducing small business tax and investing $2 million in the Strait of Georgia, but added “we want to see more money.”
He said an NDP government would have legislated a $15 minimum wage, created affordable $15/day childcare and reversed the age of retirement from 67 to 65 years old.
“This is just another election budget that will do nothing to help every day Canadians,” said Johns.
Liberal candidate Carrie Powell-Davidson, a former two-term Parksville city councillor, said “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read the budget.”
Powell-Davidson criticized the government for slashing the contingency reserve fund.
“I’ve always been a huge advocate for emergency preparedness, what kind of emergency planning is that?” she asked. “There’s so much lip service paid to the safety and security of Canadians but this isn’t a plan for the future, it’s a plan for an election.”
Like Johns, Powell-Davidson questioned why climate change and the environment weren’t mentioned in the budget.
“And a few nuggets were thrown at the veterans but that just adds insult to injury,” she said.
“It doesn’t do anything for the middle-class or people living in poverty,” said Powell-Davidson. “Building out the middle-class is important to the Liberals… A Liberal government will implement plans that are fair and don’t just target the few, we would eliminate expensive tax incentives that benefit only the wealthy. The Liberals will focus on how we will build the economy today without sacrificing the economy or our safety nets.”
Green Party candidate Glen Sollitt said he was happy to see incentives for seniors in the budget, but disappointed at the government’s stance, or lack thereof, on the environment.
“The fact that there was no discussion about hydrocarbons or action on climate change was disappointing,” said Sollitt.
“I don’t see it changing our economy.”
He said the budget targets “voting blocks” including seniors and families with a relatively high income.
“For people looking for work there’s nothing (in the budget) for them,” he said. “I think in this riding specifically there’s a lot of people who fall into that category that need assistance.”
Sollitt said “there will be people who can benefit at the personal level but I don’t know if the country as a whole will benefit.”
He agreed with Johns and Powell-Davidson saying the budget was more political than economical.
“Everything is about the election right now, every party is framing everything politically,” said Sollitt. “It’s a drag.”
Despite the criticisms, Duncan stands by the budget.
“It’s certainly not targeting the wealthy,” he said. “For example 60 per cent of those who have maxed out their TFSA earn $60,000 per year, half those people who have TFSA make less than $40,000 per year…That can’t be characterized as anything but helping the middle class and people with a limited income.”
In response to fellow candidates saying the budget was all about the election, Duncan said: “We’re elected officials, one can characterize everything we do as political — being politicians that goes with the territory.”
Asked by The NEWS if there’s anything he’d change about the budget, Duncan pondered for a moment, then declined to comment.
