The 2011 - 12 Federal Budget

[Urbane]

So now we know that the budget will be defeated and the government will be defeated. My favourite response in the interviews I saw was from Ignatieff. Asked by CTV journalists about forcing an election he replied that he wasn't doing that, that it was Mr. Harper who would call an election. When it was pointed out to Ignatieff that if the opposition voted down the budget it would force an election he said his job was to hold the government accountable. Honestly, I would rather have Layton as PM, scary as that thought is.

[NAB]

Yup, it looks like a trip to the polls is in the cards Urbane. The question of course is who is responsible. On the surface it looks like Jack Layton, but deeper down I suspect it is as I mentioned a few weeks ago, it was really up to Harper to decide whether we would have an election or not. It appears he has decided we will if "they" want one, ....and I doubt he took that decision without feeling very confident as to the outcome.

Of course, nothing is cast in stone yet. When is the vote sceduled?

Nab

[Woodenhead]

haha yeah Urbane, I agree - as an individual, I much prefer Layton over the others.

As for a preferred party, damn - I think I prefer anarchy over any of our main choices right now. Anything but the status-quo, anyway. lol

Anyway, here we go again! TO THE POLLS!!!

[Tacklewasher]

Ghadafi is looking for a place to rule.......

Really wish it didn't come to this as I think going to the polls now will not change a damn thing. Cons might pick up a bit but not enough for a majority. Libs won't go anywhere with Iggy in charge. NDP might pick up a bit but I have no idea why. Might even see a Green in there.

We'll be pretty much back in the same boat after spending millions on an election.

[Urbane]

Ghadafi is looking for a place to rule.......

Really wish it didn't come to this as I think going to the polls now will not change a damn thing. Cons might pick up a bit but not enough for a majority. Libs won't go anywhere with Iggy in charge. NDP might pick up a bit but I have no idea why. Might even see a Green in there.

We'll be pretty much back in the same boat after spending millions on an election.

That strikes me as being a good summary of the situation. In the end we will have Prime Minister Ignatieff or Prime Minister Harper. I suspect the latter, likely with another minority but possibly with a majority. What a terrible time for an election though. Japan, Libya, a fragile economy are all realities and yet the opposition apparently feel that their need to gain power trumps all that.

[Bagotricks]

Ghadafi is looking for a place to rule.......

Really wish it didn't come to this as I think going to the polls now will not change a damn thing. Cons might pick up a bit but not enough for a majority. Libs won't go anywhere with Iggy in charge. NDP might pick up a bit but I have no idea why. Might even see a Green in there.

We'll be pretty much back in the same boat after spending millions on an election.

That strikes me as being a good summary of the situation. In the end we will have Prime Minister Ignatieff or Prime Minister Harper. I suspect the latter, likely with another minority but possibly with a majority. What a terrible time for an election though. Japan, Libya, a fragile economy are all realities and yet the opposition apparently feel that their need to gain power trumps all that.

Actually, isn't the opposition just doing their job?

The government in charge didnt want to tell Canadians how much their new laws and policies are going to cost. The government in charge tabled a budget that did not have Canadians best interests in mind ( its a minority gov - have to play nice and compromise ).

You said it best Urbane - nobody is going to win more/less seats - so why mention "their need to gain power"? Nobody is gaining power - you know that - so why say it? This is more about King Harper not playing nice in the sandbox and the opposition standing up for Canadians and for Parliament. We don't want a election, but we also dont want crook/power hungry governments or a spineless opposition.

Given that the Cons have spent more money in the last 9 weeks on partisan attacks ads than Proctor and Gamble spends on all their ads for all their products for a entire year - dont act like it was the "power hungry" opposition behind this.

The Cons knew they weren't going to budge a inch on the budget, downplayed the ethical "Contempt of Parliament" issue and spent more money on attack ads than any political party previously in the history of Canada in the meantime - therefore they knew a election would be called because they took actions that knowingly ( minority government where they are charged to WORK WITH Parliament, not against it ) would cause a election while they were spending and preparing for one.

[GrooveTunes]

Ghadafi is looking for a place to rule.......

Really wish it didn't come to this as I think going to the polls now will not change a damn thing. Cons might pick up a bit but not enough for a majority. Libs won't go anywhere with Iggy in charge. NDP might pick up a bit but I have no idea why. Might even see a Green in there.

We'll be pretty much back in the same boat after spending millions on an election.

That strikes me as being a good summary of the situation. In the end we will have Prime Minister Ignatieff or Prime Minister Harper. I suspect the latter, likely with another minority but possibly with a majority. What a terrible time for an election though. Japan, Libya, a fragile economy are all realities and yet the opposition apparently feel that their need to gain power trumps all that.

What does Japan and Libya have to do with an election in Canada?

[Urbane]

Ghadafi is looking for a place to rule.......

Really wish it didn't come to this as I think going to the polls now will not change a damn thing. Cons might pick up a bit but not enough for a majority. Libs won't go anywhere with Iggy in charge. NDP might pick up a bit but I have no idea why. Might even see a Green in there.

We'll be pretty much back in the same boat after spending millions on an election.

That strikes me as being a good summary of the situation. In the end we will have Prime Minister Ignatieff or Prime Minister Harper. I suspect the latter, likely with another minority but possibly with a majority. What a terrible time for an election though. Japan, Libya, a fragile economy are all realities and yet the opposition apparently feel that their need to gain power trumps all that.



What does Japan and Libya have to do with an election in Canada?

For those who really really really want an election the answer is nothing.

[Urbane]

Here's what John Manley, former Liberal Finance Minister, thinks of the corporate tax cuts:

One Time Liberal Finance Minister Praises Conservative Tax Cuts

By Barbara Yaffe 23 March, 2011

John Manley, a one-time finance minister in the Chretien Government, surely embarrassed Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff Tuesday by issuing a news release praising the Harper Government's corporate tax cuts.

Manley, currently president and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, said in his release that the Conservatives deserve credit for their staged cuts to corporate taxes. The Harper Government plans to reduce the rate to a low of 15 per cent by 2012.

Liberals and New Democrats have lambasted the corporate tax cuts, insisting the federal treasury will lose billions as a result, at a time when Ottawa is struggling to reduce the federal deficit. Indeed, their condition for supporting the budget was scrapping the cuts, something Conservatives refused to do.

But Manley's news release tells an entirely different story. Noting the federal deficit is being reduced more quickly than was expected, it asserts: "One reason for the more positive fiscal outlook is that federal government revenues from corporate income taxation are projected to increase by an annual average of 6.3 percent between 2010-11 and 2015-16.

"Indeed, the budget indicates that corporate income taxes now represent the single fastest growing source of government revenue. Despite recent reductions in the statutory corporate tax rate, federal revenues from business taxation are expected to rise by 12 percent over the next year – more than double the increase in personal income tax revenues.

“Over the past decade, successive federal and provincial governments have introduced much-needed measures to strengthen Canada’s international competitiveness by reducing the corporate tax burden. These reforms are now spurring a significant upswing in business investment in new, productivity-enhancing machinery and equipment.”

In his job as a big business spokesman, Manley clearly is not afraid to rain on his former party's parade.
http://communities.canada.com/vancouver ... -cuts.aspx

[NAB]

There appears to be nothing in the budget that increases spending on any front to any significant degree, nor decreases it, nor taxes us more. That at least is a blessing in these times when the cost of just about everything else is taking an ever increasing bite out of our disposable income, particularly at the provincial and municipal levels. Perhaps our provincial and municipal governments will take some guidance from this federal budget as to getting their own expenditures under control.

What did impress me were a few things... Nowhere in the budget (apparently) is there anything to do with spending on new military Jets, nor on prisons, nor on a commitment for an HST giveaway to Quebec. The NDP got a few minor plums, but obviously not enough to win their support (no real surprise there I suppose, they are never satisfied it seems). Also what I like is the new projection of a much greater drop in the deficit than previously projected. We have to get to balanced budgets as quickly as possible.

Essentially, unlike previous budgets, the NDP and the Bloc want the never ending "more", (and the only place that can come from is increased debt and potential deficit and/or increased taxes) and, unlike previous budgets, the Finance Minister has firmly said NO! No more! Get through at least another year on what you have. We'll vote on it, and if you don't like it and vote it down, then the people will decide.

As for IggyOtic, it's very hard to tell from his comments exactly what he wants, doesn't want, or whether he even read the budget document or briefing analysis at all. It's not even clear if he wants an election or not, but it seems clear that his party is divided on the issue. Probably he has cried wolf once too often, and now has no escape route left.

Nab

[steven lloyd]

From what I’ve been able to learn so far the budget seems very reasonable. I don’t get the three stooges. After we spend another 300 million or so on another federal election (the fourth in seven years), we will very likely end up with one of two things: a Conservative majority, or another Conservative minority. The way I see it, the three stooges are essentially flipping a coin and taking a 50/50 shot at losing what influence they currently have. They're all iggyotic.

[JohnCambell]

Yeah, that doesn't make sense, As a canadian thats the first thing i think of. The other two parties don't like the budget,... yet.... they want to spend millions of more dollars to hold an election.

Just how much does one election cost anyway. These contant calling of elections, should be banned, because it is wasting our money.

[NAB]

I doubt the Liberals even expect to win an election steven even with a minority. What I do think they hope to do is have an opportunity to get some more of their message out and increase their standings somewhat. Of course, that it will cost the taxpayers 300 million of so to enable them to do that doesn't matter too much to them. They are very good at wasting taxpayer dollars as we well know. Shame on them.

Nab

[Urbane]

From what I’ve been able to learn so far the budget seems very reasonable. I don’t get the three stooges. After we spend another 300 million or so on another federal election (the fourth in seven years), we will very likely end up with one of two things: a Conservative majority, or another Conservative minority. The way I see it, the three stooges are essentially flipping a coin and taking a 50/50 shot at losing what influence they currently have. They're all iggyotic.

My thoughts exactly and probably the thoughts of many voters out there. Unless there is a dramatic shift in opinion I don't think most people will opt for Prime Minister Ignatieff over Prime Minister Harper. I have a feeling Iggy might be heading back to Harvard sometime soon and perhaps he sees the writing on the wall and just wants to get it over with??

[NAB]

Seems to me that it matters not what the fools Layton and Iggy say immediately following the budget speech. All that really matters is how the vote on it goes. We have been through this nutty exercise so many times before that it's almost like a recording.

Nab