Katy Austin : New Democrats

Katy Austin, NDP candidate in Simcoe Grey says that the latest Conservative budget clearly fails the working families of Canada. “Flaherty is paying off the national debt by asking low income earners to continue tightening their belts, but allowing high income earners to loosen theirs.”

The tax free savings plan is very popular with high income tax payers but does nothing for those who have no money to save. The program will cost the country $50 million in 2009 and at least $3 billion in lost taxes over the next 20 years. “If Flaherty is so eager to reduce Canada’s debt, why is he eliminating one source of revenue with which to do it?” asks Austin.

The Harper government has also cancelled its rebate program for people buying fuel efficient cars, one of its few attempts to address the issue of global warming.

There is no help in the budget to stimulate the manufacturing and the forestry sectors, and therefore little hope for new jobs that pay decent wages.

Only a pittance has been granted to the provinces to address the problem of crumbling infrastructure.

Defence spending will rise by 1.5%. “We should not be spending all this money fighting Bush’s war, ” says Austin. “We should be fighting here at home to reduce our own level of poverty. We need affordable housing, a national child care programme, a $10 minimum wage and improved access to EI benefits for those who qualify.”

Categories: Katy's Letters to the Editor
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