Conservative Budget Surplus

[brian66]

Surely the timing of the surplus is suspect. Just in time for a federal election. It will be hard for the opposition to compete on the economic file.

http://looniepolitics.com/harper-shows-horses-next-election/

[Shady]

Harper's always one step ahead of his adversaries. They must be getting pretty frustrated by now. Just when they think they have him . . . . bam!

[Boges]

I've been reading they could probably balance the books a year earlier. They're only dropping the deficit a few hundred million this year.

Everything is about politics right?

Regardless, G8 nation in surplus post 2008 meltdown is a bid deal and Harper should be given credit for it, if it comes to pass.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Boges

[The_Squid]

He should also take the credit for massive deficits when they weren't necessary... he got us in to an economic mess just to be a hero when the economy recovers? It's all a bit rich...

[Guest Derek L]

Surely the timing of the surplus is suspect. Just in time for a federal election. It will be hard for the opposition to compete on the economic file.

http://looniepolitics.com/harper-shows-horses-next-election/

That, coupled with income splitting and more seats out West, and as I've been saying since the last election, the current Government will return with an even larger mandate in 2015.

[normanchateau]

"Regardless, G8 nation in surplus post 2008 meltdown is a bid deal and Harper should be given credit for it, if it comes to pass."

Canada lead all G8 nations in economic growth during the years before Harper came to power. Source:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/050621/dq050621c-eng.htm

It also helped that Harper inherited a surplus. Too bad he squandered it in 2007, long before the economic meltdown. See:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/columnists/story.html?id=bff9fecd-ed7d-47e6-b001-2a638620df42

Marginal income tax rates from 2007-2013 are not lower than they were in 2005 and they went up in 2006. Check your tax returns if you don't believe me.

No wonder Harper has a terminal MA degree in Economics and did not advance to a PhD in Economics.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Charles Anthony
fixed mal-formed quotation

[Accountability Now]

He should also take the credit for massive deficits when they weren't necessary... he got us in to an economic mess just to be a hero when the economy recovers? It's all a bit rich...

Right....the global financial crisis of 2008 was all due to Harper. I almost for got about that one! Damn all those deficits the crisis...oh wait...Harper caused! Lol

[Accountability Now]

Canada lead all G8 nations in economic growth during the years before Harper came to power. Source:

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/050621/dq050621c-eng.htm

It also helped that Harper inherited a surplus. Too bad he squandered it in 2007, long before the economic meltdown. See:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/columnists/story.html?id=bff9fecd-ed7d-47e6-b001-2a638620df42

Marginal income tax rates from 2007-2013 are not lower than they were in 2005 and they went up in 2006. Check your tax returns if you don't believe me.

No wonder Harper has a terminal MA degree in Economics and did not advance to a PhD in Economics.

Harper didn't squander anything in 2007. The global financial crisis started in 2006 with the US housing bubble burst. They only called in it the 2008 crisis as that is when it peaked.

Of course it's just as easy to see how the Liberals were able to attain their surpluses as our largest trading partner (US) had four years of surpluses starting in the mid to late 90s...the same time the Liberals got theirs.

What makes this surplus more notable is that the US is still running deficits and we aren't. That's a good job in my opinion.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Accountability Now

[Argus]

I am totally opposed to using this as an excuse to cut taxes. They can cut taxes when there's no debt to pay off..

[Smallc]

I agree with that 100%. Taxes are low enough now. The only way I want them to cut taxes is if they're shifting tax points to the provinces (which I am not opposed to in areas of provincial jurisdiction).

[Guest Derek L]

I agree with that 100%. Taxes are low enough now. The only way I want them to cut taxes is if they're shifting tax points to the provinces (which I am not opposed to in areas of provincial jurisdiction).

I hope the Liberals and NDP campaign on that in 2015.……meanwhile, middle income Canadian households with a large disparity between income earners will vote (Conservative) with their pocketbooks.

Look how popular the (similar) Bush style tax cuts were in the States, or how popular the idea of a new (carbon) tax has been in recent Canadian elections.

[Smallc]

Taxes have been lowered in Canada at the federal level almost every year since 1995. We have things that need to be taken care of (OAS, DND, the National Debt, etc), and lowering taxes further really won't help matters there.

[Topaz]

So is the 3.7 billion surplus from the misplaced 3.1 Billion or is it from the severe cuts that is affecting Canadians??? How much of that surplus will be spent buying votes to Tory areas and they have nothing to be proud of.

[Accountability Now]

So is the 3.7 billion surplus from the misplaced 3.1 Billion or is it from the severe cuts that is affecting Canadians??? How much of that surplus will be spent buying votes to Tory areas and they have nothing to be proud of.

You mean the 3.1 billion that was unaccounted for since the Liberals were in office?

[Topaz]

You mean the 3.1 billion that was unaccounted for since the Liberals were in office?

Yeah, but the Tories said they have it......somewhere.....now we know where.

[Shady]

Yeah, but the Tories said they have it......somewhere.....now we know where.

It goes to show that Harper can't satisfy people like you. You complain about deficits, and now you complain about balanced budgets and surpluses. Be quiet.

[Guest Derek L]

Taxes have been lowered in Canada at the federal level almost every year since 1995. We have things that need to be taken care of (OAS, DND, the National Debt, etc), and lowering taxes further really won't help matters there.

Doesn't mater.......Do you really think the majority of middle class, suburban voters will be opposed to a tax cut here and tax credit there?

[Accountability Now]

Doesn't mater.......Do you really think the majority of middle class, suburban voters will be opposed to a tax cut here and tax credit there?

Sadly you are right although I do agree with SmallC. Ultimately there is an objective right thing to do..which is what SmallC is suggesting and there is a political right thing to do...which is what you're suggesting.

[Smallc]

I'm saying they shouldn't...didn't say they won't...or that I won't support them.

[Guest Derek L]

Sadly you are right although I do agree with SmallC. Ultimately there is an objective right thing to do..which is what SmallC is suggesting and there is a political right thing to do...which is what you're suggesting.

Right thing to do? A Government surplus is an indication that the Government collected more of my money (and your money….and smallc's money etc) then they need to run the Government……the right thing to do is give it back and let Canadian taxpayers/voters decide how to spend it.

If you feel you have too much money then, give it to charity.

[Accountability Now]

Right thing to do? A Government surplus is an indication that the Government collected more of my money (and your money.and smallc's money etc) then they need to run the Governmentthe right thing to do is give it back and let Canadian taxpayers/voters decide how to spend it.

If you feel you have too much money then, give it to charity.

And in previous years they didn't take enough which has lead to the debt. In those years they didn't raise taxes so why should they decrease them now?

[Guest Derek L]

And in previous years they didn't take enough which has lead to the debt. In those years they didn't raise taxes so why should they decrease them now?

Because they now have sufficient revenue to run the Government of Canada.

[Smallc]

And...the less debt they have, the less revenue it will take.

[dre]

Right thing to do? A Government surplus is an indication that the Government collected more of my money (and your money….and smallc's money etc) then they need to run the Government……the right thing to do is give it back and let Canadian taxpayers/voters decide how to spend it.

If you feel you have too much money then, give it to charity.

Because they now have sufficient revenue to run the Government of Canada.

Seems like paying down the debt would decrease the federal budget and allow for bigger tax decreases in the future.

[Guest Derek L]

Seems like paying down the debt would decrease the federal budget and allow for bigger tax decreases in the future.

Nobody said a tax cut and debt servicing is an either or affair…….to whit, that’s exactly what the Finance Minister said will happen.