Ontario Alternative Budget

TORONTO— The Ontario Alternative Budget for 2006 released today by the Alternative Budget Working Group of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives takes on poverty and income inequality as its central focus. The Alternative Budget shines a spotlight on the McGuinty government’s abject failure to address the financial crises for Ontario’s least advantaged citizens left behind by the previous government.

TORONTO— According to an Ontario Alternative Budget technical paper released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the McGuinty government’s current fiscal plan would result in program spending dropping to levels lower than it was when they took power. Despite funding increases in key areas, the McGuinty government has done little to reverse the cuts to government services imposed under the Harris/Eves regime.

TORONTO—Despite all of Dalton McGuinty’s talk about taking politics out of budgets, the McGuinty government’s announcement to bring down its budget on March 23—a full two months earlier than last year’s and a month ahead of the normal budget schedule—is the most politically transparent move in recent history, says an Ontario Alternative Budget Technical Paper released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

TORONTO—Ontario’s finances are in substantially better shape than the McGuinty government’s constant cries of poverty would suggest, says a new study from the Ontario Alternative Budget project of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. That means the Liberal government has no one but itself to blame for the continuing public services crunch in this province.