Economy and economic indicators

Ottawa: Alternative Federal Budget 2000 today released its Alternative Fiscal and Economic Update: Policy Options for the Federal Government. The main findings of the report are as follows: Under reasonable economic assumptions, the federal government will generate a final fiscal surplus of over $6 billion in the current (1999-2000) fiscal year, and almost $12 billion in the fiscal year covered by Paul Martin's upcoming budget (2000-2001).

OTTAWA--An Alternative Economic Update released today shows that between the 1997 election and fiscal 2001, the Liberals will have spent only 2 per cent of the fiscal dividend on social investment, compared to 98 per cent on tax cuts and deficit reduction. This runs counter to pre-1997 election promises to spend 50 per cent of the fiscal dividend on social programs. The coalition releasing the report, entitled "Reality Check: An Alternative Economic Update," says the Liberals have a lot to make up for.

OTTAWA--The federal government could allocate at least $10 billion per year to new spending priorities in each of the next two fiscal years, on top of additional monies required for core EI benefits and extra military and security costs, and still balance its budget. This is the conclusion of an economic and fiscal analysis published today by the Alternative Federal Budget Project in the run-up to next week's federal budget.