A question of confidence
By Deirdre McMurdy, Sympatico / MSN Finance
There's no question that the Federal Budget was designed with a very close eye to building confidence among two critical constituencies: individual consumers and small businesses. Both generate a significant amount of economic activity and their rattled confidence carries a steep price.
The Tories made a bold attempt to appear "in charge," to create the sense that their tsunami of spending will skate the country's teetering economy back on side. Things like enhanced Employment Insurance benefits, we were assured in the budget, are just temporary measures. Considerations to get us all over this hump.
The problem, however, is that the very prospect of a $64 billion budget -- and it long-term implications -- are precisely the sort of reality that undermine stability and, hence, consumer and business confidence.
Furthermore, "temporary" measures have a strange way of morphing into permanent, structural ones. The political reality -- and this budget is nothing if not political -- is that it's far easier to give than it is to take away.
That's one reality in which we can have true confidence.
Posted by: Brent | Jan 27, 2022 7:33:37 PM
The over-spending of this government is outrageous! Although many say we should be proud of the money spent on initiatives to assist other nations in need (e.g. Afghanistan), it's hard to understand the logic of spending more money than we bring in. What this government is doing with this budget would be like me not having enough money to put food on the table for my kids ... but at the same time telling my employer to lower my salary (i.e. equivalent to the GST reductions lowering gov't income); encouraging my kids to spend more money at the candy store (i.e. the home improvement benefits, etc.) in the hopes that it will stimulate my employer to pay me more later on; borrowing money from the bank so I can then donate to needy people (i.e. Canada's policies on aid to foreign nation)...etc. etc. It's nonsense!! Who in their right mind spends more than they earn and expects to survive???
Posted by: Gym | Jan 27, 2022 7:42:41 PM
Does any body realy care what Layton says, man sure can babble have a nice day
Posted by: dave moonen | Jan 27, 2022 7:43:07 PM
I think it is about time that the members of parloment grow up an start doing the job that they were elected for. if the ndp think that they are ever going to get my vote again they can think twice. we put people in office to manage this country and if they are not the governing party they hav e no right to try and topple the goverment and waste more of our money. the liberals never did a proper job and neither will a co-elition gov. so why don't you fat cats try and work for the people instead of yourselves.
Posted by: dragonfruit2009 | Jan 27, 2022 7:51:08 PM
I hope that the government will ensure they give unemployment benefit to those who lost their job for a longer period of time during recession, or offer job retraining sessions or free training subsidize for the unemployed, especially for the unemployed who belongs to minority groups, or immigrants, or some workers who have no choice but to change their job field to another.
Posted by: George | Jan 28, 2022 12:17:39 AM
I am really disappointed with with even more of our moneys to be given to a CAW and Buzz H's unfit, and overpaid loosing auto industry.Loosing, because of years of outrages packages, benefits, pays,
that put them out of global market. Now they crying more of the same:gimme, gimme, gimme more
This are all pro communist ideas that are making this country loose even more respect in the world.Mr. Layton and his NDP are against ending teachers strike and make all 45,000 students loose their moneys (mostly loans) and one year of education.Well, why not? Auto industry is doing it for years now, and making a beautiful example.Mr. Layton (who even looks like LENJIN) and his coalition ideas will kill us all . At least we are now half dead. Soon we all going to sing: OH (NO) CANADA!!!
Auto workers and Buzz should give back moneys they undeservingly took,only to make their own life's above the rest of the working taxpayers of this, what use to be great, country. It is no wonder that Japan, Korea, and soon China will do better here then Canadian overpriced and
not so good cars. Now Buzz is blaming government and he wants our borders closed for imports How dam, one could only cry. What use to be : wrong, negative, immoral, bad - is OK now. It
seems even God cant help us any more!
Posted by: uh huh | Jan 28, 2022 5:27:47 AM
so, i'll be a little over 100 bucks richer next year.
happy times and good job, boys. thanx so much.
even if you duct taped the money over my eyes, i can still see the broken promises and remember the outright lies you have passed off as 'responsible governing'.
i am ashamed that even one red cent pays your salary.
Posted by: Deb | Jan 28, 2022 8:14:49 AM
How can Mr. Harper in good faith expect us to beleive he is doing for us what is necessary for the good of all. In his initial budget he was doing away with proper opposition funding. the first step to dictatorship is to muzzle or do away with any opposition. I have absolutely no confidence in him and wish the liberals would assist in throwing him out
Posted by: Therese Couture | Jan 28, 2022 8:25:17 AM
Wasnt it just two months ago that Harper said our country was in great shape. There was no package for anyone. I recall harpers govt trying to take away funding for our other parties and the rights to strike. Harper was willing to separate us as a country to try and save himself, plotting french against english. I have more respect for the leader of the bloc, at least they care about the country. Thats more then i can say about Harper. He dosent believe in this budget, hes just trying to save his job.Harper do you think you could put your head up and face the people, you head is always down and that to me is showing your hiding something.May GOD bless Canada AMEN.
Posted by: and so on | Jan 28, 2022 8:31:54 AM
well put deb.
shall we add the systematic dismantling of citizen's rights.....as in the reversal of pay equity?
umm...perpetuating misinformation to further his own agenda (remember the blatant claims that a coalition was illegal)
Posted by: mcshane | Jan 28, 2022 8:55:27 AM
I think the whole budget is a joke...250,000 people losing thier jobs, the EI pay was dropped from $600 per week down to $400 10 YEARS AGO thanks to the Liberals...They want people to spend? People will be losing thier homes, mortgage is based on income people who have been working for years will be taking home 1/4 of what they did working. Foreclosures will happen and the worth of EVERYONE'S home will go down, the rich will get richer and the working class will be poorer.
Posted by: viacom | Jan 31, 2022 5:50:28 PM
Here's a thought for those losers in our capital. We think you morons are a joke. Things you could do you never will.
1. Full pay equity..same job same pay scale
2. Mortgage interest tax deduction
3.Lower the tax starting rate to 35000.00
4. EI payments the same all over for everybody. No more working for 10 weeks in newfoundland and collecting for 1 year.
5. Elected federal offical wages cut by 1/2. No more tax free income or benefits.
6. Education is imperitive to our future. Lower all tuition costs by 1/2 everywhere. All colleges must live with in these means
7. Get caught lifting money from the goverment cookie jar go directly to jail period.
8. All aid for other countries cut 100 %. Charity begins at home. When we kill off the roaches in our own house and everybody is working and the ecomomy is fine they can borrow cash from us.
9.Imigration cut 100% I don't think everybody is working right now, so why bring in more people to add to the problem.
10. Join a criminal gang get deported back to where you come from the same day we catch you.
11. Canada in English. period. Join us and enjoy our way of life...Don't like it LEAVE!!!!!!
12. All credit card interest capped at 5%.
Posted by: albert | Jan 25, 2022 11:48:52 AM
i think viacom has hit the nail on the head ..we have too much govt. intravencion in most cases, time delaying building permits, no response to important request until it is too late and the useless bickering of our politicians on dead issues has to stop .why not give HARPER the mandate he needs to bring our CANADA forward..... i agree a coalition would never do it, especially with( enought shit)the liberal leader&(stupid jack )the ndp leader for bed partners.........there is no way any good could come of it