BUDGET 2014 - GOAL SHOULD BE GROWTH, NOT AUSTERITY Tomorrow is federal budget day. It could be an opportunity for the Harper government to change its behaviour. But dont hold your breath. Nothing of any consequence is likely to be any different. As theyve done in every budget since the 2008 recession, the Conservatives will claim once again that jobs, growth and long-term prosperity are their priorities. But if thats the case, what have Canadians got to show for it? * Why is unemployment stuck stubbornly at 7-percent? Why are a quarter-of-a-million MORE Canadians jobless today than before the recession? Why is participation in the labour force dropping? Why are there fewer jobs for young people who are still suffering double-digit unemployment? Why did the government squander $2.5-million on pointless tax-paid advertising to promote a Jobs Grant that never existed? * Why is Mr. Harpers economic growth record the worst since the dismal days of R.B. Bennett? Why was growth in Canada down last year from the year before, which was down from the year before that, which was down from the year before that? Why do international projections for 2014 show 138 other countries growing faster this year than Canada, including the United States, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia? * Why are middle-class incomes stagnant while living costs have ballooned and households are burdened with $1.64 in debt for every dollar of disposable income? Why has Mr. Harper increased the overall tax-load on Canadians in each of his last four budgets -- including higher Conservative taxes on consumer goods, payrolls, credit unions and small business owners? Why are two-thirds of parents worried that their kids may not have the chance to do as well economically as they did? For the Harper Conservatives, jobs, growth and long-term prosperity is little more than a slogan. Its political spin. Their over-riding obsession is austerity -- cutting the budget and cutting the programs and services of the Government of Canada on all fronts. Thats what drives them. It trumps everything else. Its that insensitive ideology that has landed the Conservatives in such trouble with Canadas veterans, and many others. Its also the reason for the big hole theyve punched in federal support for municipal infrastructure, even though the Department of Finance says infrastructure investments are the most cost-effective way to generate jobs and growth. Further hacking and slashing, and further negligence in the face of real needs, is not the right agenda for Canada -- not when domestic demand is hamstrung by household debt, exports are in the doldrums with a high trade deficit, and businesses lack the confidence to increase investment. Tomorrows budget should emphasize economic growth. In particular, it should focus on significant initiatives that bolster Canadas middle-class, like greater access to post-secondary education and skills and immediate support for community-based infrastructure. Complacent tinkering and yet more government advertising will not be enough.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 13:07:40 +0000