.jpg;w=960)
ATHABASCA/BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK - Peace River-Westlock MP Arnold Viersen and Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs both criticized the Liberals and the NDP last week following the unveiling of the federal budget, saying the agreement between the two parties has failed to rein in spending.
“This is not a responsible budget – this is an NDP budget. It is a budget funded by Canadians suffering from inflation,” said Viersen. “Money spent is not a measurement of success.”
Budget 2022 forecasts a deficit of $52.8 billion, though this is projected to decline to $8.4 billion by 2026-2027. However, Viersen noted this will bring the federal debt to $1.2 trillion, which equates to 45.1 per cent of Canada’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2022.
“To control inflation, you have to control spending. This budget absolutely fails to control spending and (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau continues to tax, spend and fail agenda to satisfy the NDP,” Viersen said.
Stubbs added that on March 31, the Conservatives introduced a motion in the House of Commons calling on the NDP and Liberals to present a federal budget rooted in fiscal responsibility, no new taxes, a path to balance and a meaningful fiscal anchor. The NDP and Liberals defeated this motion.
“The NDP-Liberals always talk about spending and big government programs. But the results are record prices for fertilizer, fuel, and food, homes and heating. The NDP-Liberals must change course and stop making things worse for rural Canadians with their tax and spend agenda.”
As part of the agreement reached between the NDP and Liberals, Budget 2022 includes $5.3 billion to provide dental care for Canadians with family incomes of less than $90,000 annually, starting with children under the age of 12 and then expanding to teens under the age of 18. The program will then expand to seniors and the disabled in 2023.
It also promises $475 million to provide a one-time $500 payment this year to those facing challenges with housing affordability, though details on eligibility and how the payment will be made are coming later.
Tackling climate change is also a major part of the new budget, with the federal government committing $200 million over four years to support pre-development of clean electricity projects like inter-provincial electricity transmission, and another $600 million over seven years to support additional renewable electricity and grid modernization projects.
As well, $1.7 billion will be spent over five years to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles Program until March 2025 to help more Canadians purchase zero-emission vehicles, along with $547.5 million over four years to launch a new purchase incentive program for medium and heavy-duty zero emission vehicles. There is also additional funding to build a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.
On the subject of housing, the budget proposes to introduce a Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit, which would provide up to $7,500 to support constructing a secondary suite for a senior or adult with a disability starting in 2023.
It also proposes to introduce a Tax-Free First Home Savings Account that will give prospective first-time home buyers the ability to save up to $40,000 and double the First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit to $10,000.
To spur the training of more tradespeople, the federal budget will introduce a Labour Mobility Deduction, which will provide up to $4,000 per year in deductions on travel and temporary relocation expenses to eligible tradespeople and apprentices.
The budget also provides $84.2 million over four years to double funding for the Union Training and Innovation Program, which would help 3,500 apprentices from under-represented groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and Black Canadians) access mentorship, career services and job-matching.
Finally, the budget proposes to slow down the phasing out of access to the small business tax rate more gradually once small businesses reach a level of capital of $15 million. The reason for this change is that phasing out access to the small business tax rate of nine per cent too quickly can discourage some small businesses from creating jobs.
In terms of specific items within the budget, Viersen said the only good news is the Liberal government’s approval of the Bay du Nord offshore oil project, which will boost the Newfoundland and Labrador economy by extracting 300 million barrels of oil over 30 years.
Noting that the project was delayed twice, Viersen said this recent approval was due in no small part to the advocacy of the Conservatives, though provincial Liberals also lobbied for the project.
“I want to congratulate the Liberals for finally getting this done. The world needs Canadian oil and Albertans want to get our products to market,” he said.
“Conservatives want to see a plan for growth, with targeted investments and policies to boost our productivity and improve our competitiveness in the global marketplace.”
Otherwise, Viersen said Albertans are in need of a government that will focus on the delivery of rural broadband and trade-enabling infrastructure such as improved marine and inland ports, roads and bridges, and border enhancements.
They also want the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers, improved supply chain resiliency and a robust innovation agenda, he said.
For her part, Stubbs, who is Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development and Broadband, continued to criticize the Liberals for the impact of their policies on the economy.
“They’ve killed rural jobs in oil and gas, forestry, mining and agriculture. They’ve caused record inflation, piled on red tape that crushes small businesses and increased the carbon tax (by 25 per cent as of April 1), which hikes the price of everything from food to fuel,” she said.
