By Roger White

Battlefords MP says budget leads Canada down troubling path

Feb 28, 2018 | 11:00 AM

Yesterday’s federal budget tabled by Finance Minister Bill Morneau is being hailed by some and panned as vague by others as the Liberals begin preparing for the next general election in 2019.

The budget entitled “Equality and Growth” includes $21.5 billion in spending with women, Indigenous people and science receiving a large portion of this year’s budget with a $18 billion dollar deficit expected.

Battlefords-Lloydminster Conservative M.P. Rosemarie Falk told battlefordsNOW this budget continues down a troubling path of increasing taxes for the middle class and small business already hit hard by the Trudeau government.

“In some ways I’m surprised by this budget, but then again I’m not,” Falk said from her office in Ottawa. “This budget is yet another failure by Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to make a difference in the lives of Canadians.”

Tuesday’s budget will be investing more money to get more women into the workforce, with pay equity legislation to close the wage gap among federal workers.

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The government will also spend billions of dollars toward reconciliation with Indigenous people including infrastructure over the next five years for supporting Indigenous children and families, along with investing in housing and health.

Falk said that while she is hopeful that the government keep its promise with regards to reconciliation with Indigenous people but feels that with the government’s track record it’s highly unlikely.

“Take a look at Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, it’s been two plus years and they still haven’t done anything with it,” she said. “This was a campaign promise from 2015 that is still not fulfilled. They say one thing and do another.”

The government is also hitting smokers in the pocketbook again with excise taxes going up on tobacco product and a carton of cigarettes will jump one dollar per carton.   

 “The government has once again brought in another budget that means more taxes, more spending and more debt without any real solutions for hard working Canadians,” Falk added. “Our children and our children’s children will be paying for this budget.”

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @RJWtheReporter