Quick word on the budget, that is, my initial reaction without reading it in detail.
One, spending freezes, while nice, aren't cuts. Especially if we ratcheted up the spending to higher than normal levels.
Two, maintaining taxes at current levels is welcomed but not a cost cutting measure.
Three, to the opposition not enough in there, hello, for the environment and new forward thinking policies.
Four, many will fear cuts to the welfare state is coming. Well, in some cases, it should. You can't fund something for the sake of it - and indefinitely especially if it's shown to waste money.
The Conservatives tabled a typical minority budget. They can't do what they really want to do. Pragmatism had to prevail over conservatism. At some point, even though Canada has the "least sovereign risk debt load" in the G8, we can't run up the deficit/debt any more than we have to. We ran a deficit for the stimulus - I would really love for someone to do an in-depth study on whether these things work. Right now, it feels like an article of faith default position. We just assume that's the thing to do in economic downturns - to "save" the economy and now it's time to pay for it.
I say "pragmatic" because the Conservatives, for example, didn't touch transfer payments to the provinces; cash usually used in part to pay for universal health care.
That's it for now.
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