Finance Minister Graham Steele is asking Nova Scotians to pull in our belts to help the government overcome the deficit and pay down the debt. It is only fair therefore, that corporations who have been the recipients of government largesse be expected to go on a diet as well. Government gifts to corporations come in two main forms: tax expenditures and outright subsidies.
Alternative budgets
Nova Scotians are again invited to help the provincial government “return to balance”, i.e., reduce the province’s deficit and debt. We are reminded that “if we don’t want tax increases, we have to accept spending cuts” and warned that the annual interest charges paid by the government are $1 billion on about $14 billion of debt. Before we can have an informed conversation about the budget, the public needs more facts and a refresher on principles.
Facts
In Nova Scotia, 75,000 people—including children, people with disabilities, seniors, parents, and single people— live in circumstances that compromise their health because they are deprived of basic needs such as adequate food, clothing, and housing.
Poverty takes its toll on individuals, families and communities, but failure to address poverty costs us all. Higher levels of crime and school dropout rates, poor health and the lost productivity associated with poverty costs over $1.5 billion dollars annually.
One of the NS NDP’s election promises was to institute an 8% energy tax rebate. In an interview in the initial weeks of the new government – two years ago in September – Premier Darrell Dexter suggested that this rebate was important because ‘the necessities of life should not be taxed’.
Since then, the NDP government raised the HST and raised the rebate to 10% for all Nova Scotians. Electricity is indeed a necessity, but whether basic necessities are taxed is beside the point. The point really is whether basic necessities are affordable to all who need them.
Halifax – For 10 years, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives–Nova Scotia has published alternative budgets that challenge Nova Scotians to consider the best use of limited government resources. Striking a Healthy Balance: Nova Scotia Alternative Budget 2011 offers ways to redirect resources, such as the $84 million spent to rebate the provincial portion of the HST on oil and electricity bills.
If yesterday’s budget was designed to give something to everyone in order to win over voters for the upcoming election, then it is clear where the poorest and most vulnerable in our province rank in the minds of Sask Party electoral strategists.
Events around this year’s budget unfolded rapidly after its release at 4 p.m. March 22nd. By approximately 4:45 p.m., the leader of the NDP and the leader of the Bloc had both decided to vote against it. The Liberals had already made that conclusion earlier. So why analyze a budget that was a live option for all of 45 minutes? Budgets reveal government priorities — and this budget could have ramifications for Canadians for many years to come.
Budgets are about choices, they reflect a government's values and priorities.
With a $250 billion federal budget, the Harper Government could choose to invest in programs like universal child care or pharmacare... or spend that money on corporate tax cuts, prisons, and fighter jets.
We've created a poster and video to help illustrate the choices between this and that. Which would you choose?
Budgets are about choices, they reflect a government's values and priorities. With a $250 billion federal budget, the Harper Government could choose to invest in programs like universal child care or pharmacare... or spend that money on corporate tax cuts, prisons, and fighter jets.
We've created a video to help illustrate the choices between this and that. Which would you choose? Watch the video below: