Is Harpers Spending Spree An Attempt to Force an Election?

[Who's Doing What?]

Does Harper want to force an election by introducing a budget that the other parties have no option but to vote it down?

Or is his Liberalized spending spree just trying to get himself some good PR?

Why is he throwing around so much money?

Isn't this a "conservative" Govt.?

[Who's Doing What?]

I think he has gone Liberal.

Spending his way into popularity.

[Shakeyhands]

I think he thinks he can get his majority, and frankly, us Liberals have no one to blame but ourselves.

[Keepitsimple]

When you campaign, you have to appeal to your electoral base - and that base has to be big enough to get you elected. When you govern, you have to govern for all Canadians - not just Conservatives. Doing that in a balanced fashion while over time, being true to your principles and convictions is what true leadership is all about. It's also what makes great Prime Ministers.

When you are in a Minority government situation, you are most "vulnerable" at budget time. Historically, the average length of a Minority government is about 18 months. To protect themselves, governments will strategically "withhold" spending from the last budget so they can announce their good news close to the new budget. That way, if the government falls, the "good news" will be fresh in their minds. A good example was all the announcements on Transit/Infrastructure - that was in the last budget - contrary to some reports. At the same time, governments will make strategic announcements with regards to what's in the upcoming budget - like the Ecotrust expenditures. That means if the government budget is defeated, the ruling government will have a stick to beat them with. It's all part of the advantage of being in power - if you are wise enough to use it. I don't think anyone should worry about Harper looting the piggy bank over the long term.

[dlkenny]

Does Harper want to force an election by introducing a budget that the other parties have no option but to vote it down?

Or is his Liberalized spending spree just trying to get himself some good PR?

Why is he throwing around so much money?

Isn't this a "conservative" Govt.?

I think he feels he needs to go liberal to gain votes. I don't think he's lying though, I'm sure that he fully intends to follow through on his spending promises. He's daring the opposition to vote against his budget yet appealing to voters, he's built a reputation (for the most part although I think the income trust thing is a scam) of following through on his promises and voters are aware of this. I would think that he's willing to give a little in return for a majority government in which he can move forward with some of the items in his government's agenda. He has to play the game because he currently only has a minority government.

[geoffrey]

His old Trudeau love is showing.

[Michael Bluth]

I like your options.

Maybe he is spending money in ways people want to show people a Conservative Government can still make serious debt repayments while dealing with the concerns of Canadians.

Interesting how you couldn't give him credit for responding to the electorate's desire for action on climate change.

Any reason for that?

[willy]

Does Harper want to force an election by introducing a budget that the other parties have no option but to vote it down?

So which part will they vote down?

The extra spending on the environment

The extra money for Quebec - fiscal imbalance

More transfers for education

The tax cuts - which will be aimed at families

He will make it very hard for anyone to vote against this budget. If they do vote against it, wow time for a majority.

[scribblet]

So which part will they vote down?

The extra spending on the environment

The extra money for Quebec - fiscal imbalance

More transfers for education

The tax cuts - which will be aimed at families

He will make it very hard for anyone to vote against this budget. If they do vote against it, wow time for a majority.

I think Harper knows exactly what he's doing, he's backing them into a corner and it is a minority gov't, he has to do a balancing act. If they vote this down he has his campaign made. Mind you, he's still an amateur compared to the final days of Paul Martin LOL

[Who's Doing What?]

I like your options.

Maybe he is spending money in ways people want to show people a Conservative Government can still make serious debt repayments while dealing with the concerns of Canadians.

Interesting how you couldn't give him credit for responding to the electorate's desire for action on climate change.

Any reason for that?

YA that is "drunken sailor" Liberalism. Spending money for popularity.

[jdobbin]

I don't think anyone should worry about Harper looting the piggy bank over the long term.

Are you so sure? Even economists outside of Canada are saying that the country will not be helped by what they see in the budget and in spending announcements.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...14?hub=Politics

Economists from Global Insight told clients at a briefing Wednesday that the Canadian economy will grow by 2.2 per cent this year - down from 2.7 per cent last year - and Monday's budget will do little to speed the recovery from a poor fourth quarter in 2006.

"If your primary motivation is to strengthen the economy and improve productivity, you don't do what we know is in this budget," said Dale Orr, managing director of the firm's Canadian operations.

"You don't give billions in transfers to provinces for the fiscal balance, for one."

[Michael Bluth]

Are you so sure? Even economists outside of Canada are saying that the country will not be helped by what they see in the budget and in spending announcements.

Do these *imaginary* economists have names?

Anything more specific about their objections?

[Saturn]

I don't think anyone should worry about Harper looting the piggy bank over the long term.

Why? Because he is a Conservative and conservatives are "fiscally responsible" by assumption? Mulroney, Harris, Reagan, Bush I, Bush II - all prove that assumption is nothing but a myth. Quite the opposite - good conservatives have produced the largest deficits and largest debts both in Canada and the US. Fiscal Conservatism means Conservatives looting the bank and filling up their coffers.

[blueblood]

I don't think anyone should worry about Harper looting the piggy bank over the long term.

Why? Because he is a Conservative and conservatives are "fiscally responsible" by assumption? Mulroney, Harris, Reagan, Bush I, Bush II - all prove that assumption is nothing but a myth. Quite the opposite - good conservatives have produced the largest deficits and largest debts both in Canada and the US. Fiscal Conservatism means Conservatives looting the bank and filling up their coffers.

Didn't Trudeau help create the huge deficit, I'll concede that Mulroney did nothing to help except implement the GST to help pay it off. I don't know if Diefenbaker ran a huge deficit or not.

[sideshow]

Im starting to like Harper. Hes socially conservative in a liberal way yet giving us some money back by throwing it around like an NDP government with conservative pockets. Gotta love it.

[willy]

The economy will slow with the American economy. Nothing the government can do about that.

Dale Orr, is not an external economist. He in my opinion is not a very good economist. He focuses on a very narrow and short term indicators of performance.

Transfer payments to the provinces don't go into a hole. The provinces will spend the money. In BC we need many infrastructure improvements. New roads build an economy. In the Quebec debates this week crumbling bridges were used as a political wedge. Liberal cuts have resulted in an infrastructure deficit. It is philosophical but the Conservatives give the money to the provinces to spend on their responsibilities. The Liberals and Dippers prefer to act like big brother and control all the spending. They don't trust the provinces and in the end they don't trust us the tax payer. We may not know what is best and they do

Example the best chance to continue growing our economy will be to expand our distribution channels to Asia. We are. The Ports in BC are under major expansion. The construction is underway and the roads and trains need to follow suit to increase capacity. This is a 5 - 10 yr process. Look at the budget over a 5 year time frame and expect todays spending to pay off in the future. Spending to outcome has a lag time. This budget will impact the years ahead.

Governments can sure kill jobs but they don't create them. They also don't create productivity. The actions of the Conservatives in the 80's created an environment for growth in the 90's. The Liberals to their credit did not get in the way. They also benefited from falling interest rates that we still are benefiting from. If those rates were to jump, no government could keep us out of deficit.

So while we look at the economy, Dion today announced a carbon tax. Many of these industries he talks about are not currently profitable. Our pulp and paper sector has been in the red for a number of years. They are holding on. A carbon tax could put them under and that means thousands of well paid people out of work. Dions economic plan scars the pants of me.

Funds like the Ecotrust fund are great ideas. One time funding that is paid for with current moneys. Harper is only spending what they have in the horizon that is predictable.

[hiti]

Dion did not announce a carbon tax.

According to the Harper Cons.... if I get caught speeding and get pulled over and issued a ticket... the fine would be a tax.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

And why are these people in "new" government?

[willy]

"Dion did not announce a carbon tax. "

Yes he did. When the government takes your money and decides how it will be spent, it is a tax.

Who are "these people"

Don't be a hater. I

[jbg]

I think Harper knows exactly what he's doing, he's backing them into a corner and it is a minority gov't, he has to do a balancing act. If they vote this down he has his campaign made. Mind you, he's still an amateur compared to the final days of Paul Martin LOL

I tend to agree. Remember, even if given a majority, the CPC doesn't have to table a budget that triggered a fall of the old government and an election.