Reaction to the government’s first majority budget was swift as political rivals slammed Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives for not addressing some of the country’s top priorities.
The opposition parties’ reaction was anticipated, given that the budget is very similar to the fiscal plan Finance Minister Jim Flaherty introduced earlier this spring.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said the government hadn’t addressed a host of issues affecting families, namely job creation, retirement security and health care. He said the NDP would propose an amendment focusing on these areas, but conceded the party has a low chance of success given the government’s majority.
“It’s not a budget that addresses the urgent needs of families right now for job creation. They’re pinning all their hopes on more tax cuts for banks but the evidence is very clear that we need much more proactive action to create jobs,” he told reporters in Ottawa.
Mr. Layton accused the government of hiding its plans to eliminate the federal deficit in 2014-15, one year earlier than planned.
“I think the government on purpose is not telling Canadians what it’s going to cut because it knows it will be unpopular for doing so. I would have hoped we would have had more transparency,” he said. “Well, it looks like billions of dollars of cuts are being hidden away. So our job as the Official Opposition is going to be to root out what it is that the government is up to.”
In likening the budget to the movie Groundhog Day, in which a weatherman finds himself repeating the same day over and over again, Liberal Leader Bob Rae told of spotting a “very complacent, very well-fed, very happy” groundhog on the lawn.
“This is a groundhog budget. It takes us back to where we were in March with a couple of very few changes. Same spirit of complacency. There’s a lot that’s left out here,” he told reporters.
Mr. Rae said the budget had no measures to address “the continuing challenge of poverty,” noting that the reintroduced children’s arts tax credit is non-refundable and wouldn’t benefit people earning under $20,000.
“Basically what the government is saying is if you’re poor, your kid doesn’t get piano lessons. If you’re poor, your kid doesn’t get to go on an adventure or wilderness thing,” he said. “It’s not a document that’s intended for all Canadians. It’s just intended for a few Canadians and for people who have some money and for people who don’t have any money, you’re out of luck.”
Mr. Rae also derided the government for not detailing its plans to eliminate the deficit sooner.
“I don’t think the government can come forward with a plan in 2011 and tell us that they’re going to get to a surplus in 2014 and not tell us how they’re going to do it. What, is it supposed to be a miracle? Is it the loaves and fishes? Like, how is this supposed to be done?”
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said the government hasn’t “left room for resilience in the face of any nasty shocks in the international picture” while also not adequately anticipating the threats of climate change, Ms. May said in a press release.
“Overall, we need to think beyond 2015 to see how we can best strengthen our economy while eliminating the deficit and having some flexibility to cushion unexpected shocks,” she said. “This budget and fiscal plan only works if nothing goes wrong. Prudent planning would build in a longer-term view and a margin for error.”
Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews criticized the Harper government for ignoring three key priorities for the province, including a new 10-year funding accord for health care, support for clean energy projects, and more autonomy over selecting talented newcomers.
“These are missed opportunities,” she told reporters.
Ms. Matthews said she is anxious to “hammer out” the next 10-year accord for health care with Ottawa and the provinces before the existing one expires in 2014.
As well, she repeated complaints made by Premier Dalton McGuinty by saying the Harper government should provide financial support for Ontario’s focus on clean energy projects and negotiate a new deal on immigration with the province.
“They are supporting green energy in Newfoundland and Labrador,” Ms. Matthews said, referring to a federal loan guarantee for a hydroelectric project in that province. “And they subsidize dirty energy in Western Canada through the oil sands.”
With a report from Karen Howlett
