Friday, July 24, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday, July 24, 2015 Feds canÕt avoid $1-billion deficit, budget officer says The federal Conservatives will fail to accomplish their key promise of balancing OttawaÕs books this year, instead running a $1-billion budget deficit in 2015, the parliamentary budget officer says. Budget watchdog Jean-Denis FrŽchette said Wednesday that the economic picture had changed since the ConservativesÕ budget in April, which predicted surpluses in 2015-16 and over the next several years. ÒEconomic data has since indicated declines in real GDP (gross domestic product) that were not reflected in the governmentÕs assumptions,Ó FrŽchette said. He noted that the Bank of Canada, in its quarterly forecast last week, had chopped its prediction for economic growth this year from 2 per cent to about 1 per cent. The worse than expected economic conditions will reduce federal tax revenues, trimming $3.9 billion from OttawaÕs fiscal accounts in 2015, the budget watchdog said. But taking into account the $1 billion set aside as a rainy-day fund by Finance Minister Joe Oliver and factoring in other impacts, FrŽchette said the Conservatives will run a $1-billion deficit this year. With an eye on the Oct. 19 election, opposition parties seized on the report to slam the ConservativesÕ handling of the economy. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised for years that 2015 would be the year his government puts an end to a seven-year string of budget deficits. ÒThat was supposed to be the ConservativesÕ hallmark branding, wasnÕt it, balanced budget?Ó NDP leader Thomas Mulcair asked during a campaign-style swing through southern Ontario. ÒWe now know thatÕs not going to be the case.Ó Mulcair said Harper put the economy at risk by relying too much on the oil and gas industry as an engine of growth. ÒThe Conservatives put all of our economic eggs in the resource extraction basket, and now that that sector is having considerable diffi

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday, July 24, 2015

Feds can’t avoid $1-billion deficit, budget officer says

The federal Conservatives will fail to accomplish their key promise of balancing Ottawa’s books this year, instead running a $1-billion budget deficit in 2015, the parliamentary budget officer says.

Tuesday July 14, 2015Budget watchdog Jean-Denis Fréchette said Wednesday that the economic picture had changed since the Conservatives’ budget in April, which predicted surpluses in 2015-16 and over the next several years.

“Economic data has since indicated declines in real GDP (gross domestic product) that were not reflected in the government’s assumptions,” Fréchette said.

Thursday November 13, 2014He noted that the Bank of Canada, in its quarterly forecast last week, had chopped its prediction for economic growth this year from 2 per cent to about 1 per cent.

The worse than expected economic conditions will reduce federal tax revenues, trimming $3.9 billion from Ottawa’s fiscal accounts in 2015, the budget watchdog said. But taking into account the $1 billion set aside as a rainy-day fund by Finance Minister Joe Oliver and factoring in other impacts, Fréchette said the Conservatives will run a $1-billion deficit this year.

With an eye on the Oct. 19 election, opposition parties seized on the report to slam the Conservatives’ handling of the economy. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised for years that 2015 would be the year his government puts an end to a seven-year string of budget deficits.

Wednesday January 21, 2015“That was supposed to be the Conservatives’ hallmark branding, wasn’t it, balanced budget?” NDP leader Thomas Mulcair asked during a campaign-style swing through southern Ontario. “We now know that’s not going to be the case.”

Mulcair said Harper put the economy at risk by relying too much on the oil and gas industry as an engine of growth. “The Conservatives put all of our economic eggs in the resource extraction basket, and now that that sector is having considerable difficulty, it’s affecting everything else in the Canadian economy.” (Source: Toronto Star)

SOCIAL MEDIA

Posted by Project Democracy on Friday, July 24, 2015

2 Comments

  1. VOTE INDEPENDENT.

    Canada is going the way of the Greek Gods, broke with deficit and debt. How is it that the government sends out $$$ to families to purchase votes in the up-coming election? Is that Democracy? There is no hope in Political Parties. They all waste our resources with such stupidness as sending out flyers like the one I recently received in the mail from Hamilton-Centre MP David Christopherson. The NDP or the Liberals are no different that the Conservatives?

    Don’t believe me? Go to CBC and watch the Documentary on Tommy Douglas, the last of the honest Leaders and Leader of the CCF, The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Notice “Federation” and not “Party”, speaking of which, the Party is coming to an end oh account of the Honourable wasters of our resources, livelihood and future of all past Political Parties from the beginning to THE END.

    @TheBaldasaro

  2. In case no-one noticed, the ship sunk quite some time ago, and because of perks, pensions and high saleries paid to politicians and their financial backers, it looks like we are soon to be up shit creek without a lifeboat, never mind a paddle!

    @The Baldasaro

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