Caldezar

I completely agree with you as far as the Liberals being the cause of our military neglect. However, that's one of the reasons that the Conservatives are our elected government. We can blame the Liberals all we want, but if we elect a Conservative government to fix our issues, then I expect them to deliver on that. I'll grant you that, at the start of their run, they did inject money in to the military. My concern is that they have failed to keep up with that promise. You can't play the hero for a year or two and then turn around and stop everything you started. Make a plan and stick to it. Preferably one that puts the health and safety of our loved ones and fellow countrymen at the top of the list. Not a plan to appease people with a tax break or 'get retired quick' scheme. We've all seen these tax changes before. The problem is that it's just a never-ending cycle; increase taxes in one area (gas is a great example, but not the only one), then get a tax break to your income or savings so you think you're actually coming out ahead.

The tax-free savings is a farce to say the least. It's a tidbit that's been tossed to the public as a way to placate us. Personally, I really don't mind our tax system; it's part of what separates us from the Americans. We pay more in taxes, but we expect more in return. I'd rather walk in to a hospital and know that I'll receive the attention I need, than save a few bucks here and there. My largest concern over the budget this year is the squeeze on what was initially promised to our defense budget in '06. The conservatives seem awfully keen to throw our troops around like a bargaining tool to the UN, but they're not very willing to follow through on budgeting those commitments. We have an ever growing border in Canada that an ever aging fleet can't defend. We have UN commitments we can hardly keep up to in the Navy. We send under geared troops to a war-torn country and then ignore them at budget time because we 'don't want to spark an election over Afghanistan.' Guess what? As leaders of our country, it's your duty and responsibility to fight the fights that need fighting; not to glaze over portions of a budget that might make a wave or two. I'd like to stick Harper and his crew in a fox hole in Afghanistan with some guns to defend himself, then as I'm walking away, turn and say: "Sorry we couldn't provide you with ammunition, but if we budgeted for it, it might upset someone. You understand right?"