Harper budget should have done more to boost economy, help working families-
BCGEU
Jan 27 '09

BCGEU president Darryl Walker says the federal budget brought down Jan. 27 should have invested more to stimulate the economy and he's critical of Prime Minister Stephen Harper for trying to sneak in big tax cuts especially for corporations that will do little to boost our country's economic fortunes.

"The fine print and details of the Conservative's budget plan will take days to analyze," Walker says, "but the clear lack of any investment in social infrastructure-like a national child care program to help working families-is a glaring omission in the Harper budget."

Meanwhile, Walker says that by cutting taxes so dramatically, the Conservatives will reduce the revenue available to government and limit their ability to bring in further stimulus measures in the future.

Walker is also disappointed that there wasn't more of an environmental focus accompanied by significant investment in green technologies and jobs.

And he said labour's efforts to win added support for Canadians who have lost their jobs fell on deaf ears because the Harper government did nothing for the 60 per cent of unemployed workers who don't meet stringent EI qualification rules.

Even with those criticisms, Walker says the Canadian public have played an important role in forcing Harper to fundamentally change his government's tune on its budget approach.

"And that," he says, "leaves B.C. premier Gordon Campbell alone in the ideological wilderness as the only Canadian politician of any standing who still clings to the discredited notion of maintaining a balanced budget instead of spending to stimulate the economy."

Walker says that unless there is a decisive change in Victoria, British Columbians could face major cuts in services and programs in next month's provincial budget.

The Harper government has also implemented wage controls for federal public sector workers for the next three years, which will roll back already negotiated wages settlements for a number of employee groups.