Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Big budget doesn't deliver for B.C.


There are only 17 MPs in the Conservative BC caucus ... you would think Betty Hinton could make her voice heard when it comes to creating the budget, but now we know they don't listen to her. Proof:
I
n his speech in parliament introducing Budget 2007, finance minister Jim Flaherty said: "From the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the rugged shores of Newfoundland and Labrador, many of the most beautiful places on earth are in Canada." Oops, guess he forgot about the other said of the Rockies ... us.
That's not the worst of it. The Vancouver Sun has a great article today on all the ways B.C. got left out in the cold by this budget that will raise government spending by 5.6%.
Last week for example, Premier Gordon Campbell
said property values MUST NOT BE included in the new equalization formula. The Tories stuck them in anyway. What does that mean? It means that, because B.C. has very high property values right now, our equalization numbers will be skewed: so, if our economy ever slows down, we won't be able to get the federal transfer payments we need. As Campbell said:
"Anyone that says that your property values are in direct relation of your ability to pay doesn't frankly know a lot about what they're talking about ... property values in British Columbia went up by about 24 per cent last year. Peoples' ability to pay did not go up by 24 per cent last year."
Around now, B.C.ers' blood should be boiling at how little the federal Conservatives seem to care about us. As one MP put it, we've been "punished" by this budget.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is as mad as we are. CTF federal director John Williamson said "Canadian taxpayers were shortchanged on the issue of tax relief and will continue paying sky-high tax rates."
Ontario and Quebec, at the same time, are making billions and billions of dollars off this budget – because that's where Harper needs votes.
They don't care, folks. They don't care about B.C., they don't care about Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, they don't care about us. They think we'll vote for Betty no matter what. Let's show them they're wrong.

Cited article by Peter O'Neil (with files from the Canadian Press)
Published March 20, 2007

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How rich is this? The blogging dippers quoting CTF and the Little Lenny Asper run Gobal media group! Readers with an attention span may remember Lenny's front page editorial defending Jean Chretien's thievery and pork from around the turn of the millenium.

I'd be careful not to include a link to the CTF site if I were you guys...they tend to be somewhat harsh on marxists and statists. CTF complaints are essentially NOT ENOUGH TAX CUTS. How do you reconcile that with your failed idealogy? As for Global...well I guess they make Fox look fair and balanced.

ps google "bc mary" to see how the Basi, Virk proceedings are going. Global seems kind of quiet there. I guess they are tied up court with their attempts to get Direct to Consumer Rx drug advertising going.

Anonymous said...

It must be annoying when the dreaded right wingers care more for the squeezed middle class than all the so called Liberals who are actually controlled by the largest Canadian corporations....long live the new Canadian government....finally we have a voice!!

Anonymous said...

I for one dont feel one bit sorry for Campbell or BC.The average family with an average income can no longer afford to buy a home.Gordon Campbell has been a menace to this province.The crime rate has gone up,housing prices have gone up,the hospitals are a mess. Elderly couples cant even live together,many have died.Theres jobs alright.PART TIME.
While HONGcouver gets new highways and improvements and prepares for the olympics {WASTE OF MONEY}the homeless are being treated like crap,the environment is getting a beating with developement.Greedy developers want to destroy more of the environment by putting resorts on farm land.Gotta cater to the rich.The rest of the province is being screwed.Gordon campbell is swift to ensure that his neighborhood is well kept.If this was 1807I'm sure he would have an extermination plan for homeless people.The lack of dough is his own damn fault.Campbell lied to everyone to get in that should tell you something about this idiots character.People were more concerned about gay and abortion rights.This decadent society is more concerned with what feels good.They dont bother to think ahead and think about consequences.People bitch about government workers,well guess what,nurses and teachers are government workers.Campbell closed hospitals and schools.People are paying with their lives.He sold off the province.As far as i'm concerned that ASSHOLE should be booted out of Canada for high treason....excuse me while I pack...I'm moving to Alberta.You voted him in...now suffer the consequences.

Anonymous said...

GORDON CAMPBELL IS MY SHEPHERD I shall soon want He leadeth me beside still factories and abandoned farms He restores my doubt in the liberals He anointed my wages with taxes and inflation, so my expense runneth over myincome. Surely poverty and hard living shall follow ,and I shall work on a rented farm,and live in a rented house forever.

Five thousand years ago Moses said:"Pick up your shovel, mount your ass,and I will lead you to the promised land."Five thousand years later, Trudeau said:"Lay down your shovel and sit on your ass,light up a camel; this is the promised land."This year Gordon campbell will take your shovel, sell your camel,kick your ass, and tell you he gave away the Promised Land.

I am glad I am a Canadian,I am glad I am free,But I wish I was a dog,and Gordon was a tree.

Anonymous said...

Skrepnek stole my identity

Now I'm not an entity

Am I Michael?

Am I Me?

Am I even NDP?

Anonymous said...

"The poll found the Conservatives got the biggest post-budget boost in British Columbia, where their support rose 10 points to 44% since the last survey."

-Ipsos Reid Poll

Anonymous said...

44 per cent!!

Crawford is toast.