Government finance
OTTAWA–Le gouvernement fédéral pourrait allouer au moins 10 milliards de dollars par année à de nouvelles dépenses au cours de ses deux prochains exercices financiers, payer les prestations de base de l’assurance-emploi, et couvrir les frais supplémentaires occasionnés par les mesures de sécurité nationale, tout en équilibrant son budget. Voilà la conclusion d’une analyse économique et fiscale publiée aujourd’hui par la coalition qui prépare L’Alternative budgétaire pour le gouvernement fédéral en vue de la présentation la semaine prochaine du budget fédéral.
Ottawa—Malgré la campagne de peur menée par John Manley et Paul Martin au sujet de sombres perspectives budgétaires, les calculs de l’Alternative budgétaire pour le gouvernement fédéral montrent que les Canadiennes et Canadiens peuvent s’attendre à un surplus fédéral de 6,6 milliards de dollars au cours de l’exercice financier 2003-2004.
The passing of Bill 68 has left Nova Scotians wondering how far the provincial government will go in implementing its political agenda. The drastic measures are, according to the Tories, justified by the need for the province to get its financial house in order. While the province's fiscal situation is not rosy, it certainly does not justify trampling worker's rights and stifling public debate.
Paul Martin and his Liberal colleagues are handicapped by their anti-deficit phobia in dealing with the current economic downturn. A surplus come-hell-or-high-water approach makes sense in a period of economic expansion, but in the current recession (Yes, we really are going into one!), it is unwise to say the least. Such rigidity, uncharacteristic for the party of pragmatism, is reminiscent of the balanced budget religion practiced so disastrously by the Bennett government during the 1930s.
The Hamm government deserves two cheers for its recent decisions: (1) to cancel the planned corporate tax cut in light of the September budget update and the additional strains on the provincial budget since September 11 and (2) to promote equalization between municipalities in Nova Scotia. By delaying the corporate tax cut, the government shows flexibility. By promoting equalization at the municipal level, it shows creativity.
"Tough decisions must be made," declared the BC government in this week's Throne Speech. "It won't be easy and it won't be without some hardship," but spending cuts are "necessary."
The central message track coming from Victoria these days is: yes, this is going to hurt, but we have no choice. The message is nonsense--good public policy is all about choices. There is nothing inevitable about the government's reckless spending cuts
One year into the "New Era", here's a proposition not often heard: none of the BC government's reckless spending cuts need to happen. All the cuts to welfare, health care, education, legal aid, child and youth programs, seniors' programs, long-term care, forestry and environmental programs...all the layoffs, contracting-out and privatization...all the dismantling of programs, the rolling-back of gains by working people, much of which took generations to win and build...all the hardship and anxiety that has marked the Liberals' first year in government. None of it has to happen.
It was quite a let-down from Thursday to Friday of last week, as Thursday's feel-good words from the Ernie Eves Government in the Throne Speech gave way to the Minister of Education's elaborately disguised education funding cuts on Friday.
What has been advertised as an increase in funding of $350 million turns out, on closer examination, to be equivalent to $144 million cut, when actual costs and enrolment growth are taken into account.