Federal Budget 2007: More & Still More Government

[Saturn]

At various points in its 477 pages, the budget declares itself to be “historic.” It is that.

It is historic indeed. Being the bullshittiest budget of all time and all...

[blueblood]

At various points in its 477 pages, the budget declares itself to be “historic.” It is that.

It is historic indeed. Being the bullshittiest budget of all time and all...

In all honesty would it be if the Liberals wrote it? All over people are saying this budget is Liberal-esque.

[Saturn]

In all honesty would it be if the Liberals wrote it? All over people are saying this budget is Liberal-esque.

In all honesty, the Liberals didn't manage to come up with such shitty budget in the last 13 years, so I don't see this budget as being Liberal-esque in any way. It's not Liberalesque. It's just....stunning.

[Martin Chriton]

This budget is an example of why minority governments don't work.

Any budget produced by a minority govt is going to be an election budget. A budget that is concerned more with optics than with results.

As someone who normally votes Conservative, I hope this budget fails.

[blueblood]

In all honesty would it be if the Liberals wrote it? All over people are saying this budget is Liberal-esque.

In all honesty, the Liberals didn't manage to come up with such shitty budget in the last 13 years, so I don't see this budget as being Liberal-esque in any way. It's not Liberalesque. It's just....stunning.

Fair enough. I can't see this budget encouraging much economic growth in where it's needed. IMO eastern canada needs an overhaul.

[August1991]

At various points in its 477 pages, the budget declares itself to be “historic.” It is that.

It is historic indeed. Being the bullshittiest budget of all time and all...

But it made a fool of Duceppe. How much would you pay for that?

[jdobbin]

That's probably what I'll wind up doing. That my Conservative Party back-bencher will win with about 70% of the vote can't be questioned. The only reason I can see in participating is to help someone get back their deposit.

That's a good point. And to ensure that someone else's party receives funding in the next election.

[blueblood]

At various points in its 477 pages, the budget declares itself to be “historic.” It is that.

It is historic indeed. Being the bullshittiest budget of all time and all...

But it made a fool of Duceppe. How much would you pay for that?

Cutting Quebec off from the trough and letting Quebec try and fund it's own socialist paradise would make him look like a much bigger fool and wouldn't cost anything. It would take time but it would work.

Harper makes Duceppe look like a fool on a regular basis, remember the nation thing?

[jdobbin]

It's Harper's riding, you see all sorts of kooky people so they get their name up when Harper's riding appears on CBC. Maybe I'll vote for Christian Hertiage or for the Marijuana party....

I'd rather not waste my time though, it could be better spent banging my head against the wall in frustration or something to that that effect.

Seriously though, a vote for any other party or independent would at least be a protest vote. I have voted protest votes on mayor the last three elections even though I knew the person had no chance of winning. I wasn't about to be left out of the process.

[blueblood]

It's Harper's riding, you see all sorts of kooky people so they get their name up when Harper's riding appears on CBC. Maybe I'll vote for Christian Hertiage or for the Marijuana party....

I'd rather not waste my time though, it could be better spent banging my head against the wall in frustration or something to that that effect.

Seriously though, a vote for any other party or independent would at least be a protest vote. I have voted protest votes on mayor the last three elections even though I knew the person had no chance of winning. I wasn't about to be left out of the process.

If polling were illegal, then at least if you vote in protest you get a legitimate shot.

[Michael Bluth]

This budget is an example of why minority governments don't work.

Any budget produced by a minority govt is going to be an election budget. A budget that is concerned more with optics than with results.

As someone who normally votes Conservative, I hope this budget fails.

I do too. Just because it would be great to campaign on.

That's the weird thing with good fiscal times. Much tougher than budgeting when times are tough. If times are tough you can say no to everybody very easily.

When times are good. A little bit to appeal to everybody.

Those who were inclined to not like this budget, don't. Those who were open-minded will find it a mixed bag. Those who were inclined to like it will.

Can anybody here really say they were shocked by the contents of the budget?

I have voted protest votes on mayor the last three elections even though I knew the person had no chance of winning. I wasn't about to be left out of the process.

I have voted in every Federal election I have been eligible for. Can't be arsed to vote municipally.

I think I may have voted for Tooker Gomberg when he came second to Mel what's his name in Toronto Lastman (?) however many years ago that was.

What's the use. Most Mayoral races I have seen come down to popular incumbent wins in a landslide or despised incumbent gets turged out by heir apparent.

woo hoo

[Catchme]

Okay, let's see:

NFLDLB is furious, as is Sask. BC Liberals, NEE Conservatives, are frothing at the mouth and stating Harper betrayed his promises to them. So he has burned his bridges in 3 provinces, to trade, or attempt to trade, for more Ontario and Quebce voters, but the cities in both provinces are furious as there is nothing for housing. It will remain to be seen just how much, or how little, he will pick up in actual fact.

Environmentalists, health care professionals, students and First Nations are equally as furious.

Single people and couples without children are teed right off that they are going to get hit. The senors it is touted to help, unless they are a couple, with one partner making significant pensions, it will not help at all. The 2 year RRSP deferral means nothing.

So families with 6 kids it will benefit hugely. I guess they want to pay people to have babies.

The families with disabled children with be able to save up to 200k per year for their childs future needs, as if families with disabled children have any savings of that type, so there is nothing it for them or their children!

Not much in there for Atlantic Canada either, so it means nothing too much to them, where the CPC could shore up their decline of 12%.

Alberta working singles and couples without children, or whose children are over 18 are going to be dinged heavily as the promise to change income tax rate levels did not happen. He is also giving AB money to PQ and Ontario not a formula to make many Albertans happy.

There was no money designated to trade skills development, that are direly needed and requested by small and medium business. So they are out of the equation to support Harper, the supposed 750k capital gains means nothing to them if they have no workers.

So just who is going to vote for Harper and the CPC?

The religious right and especially those with massive amounts of kids, those who are connected to the Oil patch and have income derived from there, rich seniors, and Quebec separatists, maybe, that is even in doubt.

[Argus]

It's also that they are scattering money the four winds. There is so much spread, and not only that, the programs are lacklustre. 233+ billion dollars spent and we have a pathetic health care system?

No, Canadians can only blame themselves for this budget, we have an "I want this program" syndrome and we all like being patronized and supporting the government in that they tell us what we want to hear and not doing what needs to be done. This budget reflects the attitudes of Canadians and can we blame the government for having it's ear close to the ground not wanting to repeat Mulroney?

Absolutely. Would we have this budget if the Tories had a majority? Not a chance. Those who say Harper isn't as conservative as Mulroney are being silly. Harper is conservative, but he's also a realist. Twenty years of socialist government have left far too many Canadians feeling that it's the government's job to right all wrongs, to help all the poor and downtrodden, to equalize everyone's lifestyle. Pre-budget polls were fairly explicit: Canadians wanted more social welfare spending. Harper is determined to stay in government and is responding, to them, to Quebec, to any blocks of voters he thinks he needs.

I don't like it. On the other hand, what's the alternative? Would we get a better budget from the Liberals? Not likely. Especially if the Liberals were in a minority or close to an election. We saw that already. And what is the complaint from the Liberals and socialists and their supporters here? Not nearly enough spending!!

As long as the Tories lack strength we're going to see this liberal style of political bribery and handouts. Ultimately, Canadians respond well to it. Canadians like being bribed, and are largely too stupid to realize it's with their own money. And of course, there is that mass of untaxed Canadians for whom it actually IS someone else's money. They're quite content with as many handouts as possible. Mind you, most of them don't vote Tory anyway.

[Argus]

This budget is an example of why minority governments don't work.

Any budget produced by a minority govt is going to be an election budget. A budget that is concerned more with optics than with results.

As someone who normally votes Conservative, I hope this budget fails.

I agree, but the bribe to the BQ will ensure it doesn't.

[White Doors]

Nice tax breaks for families. good to see.

It's time the governmnet recognized how important families having children is to society. Hopefully this will go towards nudging up our birth rate.

But next budget I really want to see some tax savings. Simple, concrete & significant income tax savings.

I give this budget a 6/10.

I fo hope the provinces stop whining about the funding gap now.

[White Doors]

Personally, I am more than a little shocked that catchme didn';t liek this budget.

LOL

anyways, also, money for 6 new coast guard vessels. They were desperately needed.

LOTS of detail in this budget.

Oh, August, the Military spending was accounted for in last years budget if I remember correctly.

[August1991]

I agree, but the bribe to the BQ will ensure it doesn't.

Bribe?

I'd say rather that Harper has achieved his real purpose with this budget: make utter fools of the BQ and PQ. This hasn't been lost on voters outside of Quebecers and certainly not on voters in Quebec.

Dumont is saying that he's like Harper, a man of his word. Charest is saying that he negotiated this. And Duceppe is carping that it's not enough (although the BQ voted for it) and Boisclair is saying that he supports Duceppe.

[geoffrey]

I'd say rather that Harper has achieved his real purpose with this budget: make utter fools of the BQ and PQ. This hasn't been lost on voters outside of Quebecers and certainly not on voters in Quebec.

Dumont is saying that he's like Harper, a man of his word. Charest is saying that he negotiated this. And Duceppe is carping that it's not enough (although the BQ voted for it) and Boisclair is saying that he supports Duceppe.

A man of his word? My ass. A man of his word to Quebec. I am really disinterested in spending billions to make fools of the PQ. In fact, I'd say quite the opposite.

The BQ and the PQ got their unreasonable transfers. They made a fool of the rest of us.

[Shakeyhands]

Absolutely. Would we have this budget if the Tories had a majority? Not a chance.

So what you are saying in short is that Canadians don't really want a Conservative government... So the Conservatives offer a Liberalesque budget....

The CPC are basically Liberal lite. The reason why is simple, because that is what's needed to win back to back majorities and elections

Hey.... you too??????

I see this in a lot of posts, how the Conservatives plan to acheive Majority status is by being the Liberals... Doesn't this just prove that Canadians, the majority of anyway, aren't interested in a Conservative government?

Interesting.

[Mad_Michael]

I'm a fiscal conservative, social liberal.

As far as I'm concerned, a spendthrift government with a regressive social policy is the absolute worst choice.

The credentials of 'conservatives' to be fiscally irresponsible is now well established. Between Ronald Reagan, both Bushes, Mulroney and Harper, those who call themselves 'conservative' have proven that they cannot be trusted with the nation's finances. Ontario's Mike Harris falls into the same category.

Conservative? Compared to what?

Apparently the only fiscal conservatives I've seen in the last twenty years were Bill Clinton and Paul Martin.

[Mad_Michael]

Nice tax breaks for families. good to see.

It's time the governmnet recognized how important families having children is to society. Hopefully this will go towards nudging up our birth rate.

It won't budge the birthrate.

It is a fact that rising prosperty is the cause of falling birth rates. Ergo, giving tax breaks to families ain't going to budge the birthrate.

I fo hope the provinces stop whining about the funding gap now.

Bemused giggles. You are dreaming.

Whining and bitching for more is the only thing the Provinces know how to do well.

[White Doors]

It won't budge the birthrate.

It is a fact that rising prosperty is the cause of falling birth rates. Ergo, giving tax breaks to families ain't going to budge the birthrate.

It may be the cause of a decline from say 6 children for each family to 2...

However, highly taxed countries correspond directly to a very low birthrate (under the replacement rate of 2.1). Ergo, your 'thesis' doesn't hold water.

Bemused giggles. You are dreaming.

Whining and bitching for more is the only thing the Provinces know how to do well.

That I may be able to agree with. But perhaps they will whine about something else now.

[DogOnPorch]

Wilber: According to our Finance Minister's speech, the country ends at the Rocky Mountains. According to his budget, he means it.

It's pretty easy to miss British Columbia...all tucked away down there...heheh.

"From the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the rugged shores of Newfoundland and Labrador, many of the most beautiful places on Earth are in Canada."

---Jim Flaherty

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This Trailer Park looks like a tropical earthquake blew through here, Lahey.

---Ricky: TPBs

[Mad_Michael]

It may be the cause of a decline from say 6 children for each family to 2...

However, highly taxed countries correspond directly to a very low birthrate (under the replacement rate of 2.1). Ergo, your 'thesis' doesn't hold water.

Yes, highly taxed countries correspond directly with a very low birth rate.

And even lower taxed countries (like the USA for example) show the exact same low birth rate.

Prosperity is the common factor, not taxation.

Btw, Some African and South American nations have absurdly high rates of taxation and equally high birth rates.

[Keepitsimple]

There have been a couple of comments about single people and couples without children being left out to the benefit of families with children. Hopefully, there's not much truth in that. Let's not forget that these single people and married couples without children all have Mums and Dads - that means they come from families with children and they should be able to see the merits of helping those families. Or is really all about "what's in it for me?. We'll see.