Budget fallout
Re: Borrow, Spend, Repeat, Tasha Kheiriddin; Liberals Throw Dice With Budget, John Ivison, both, March 24. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s budget is a “soak t he rich” budget to t he detriment of the Canadian economy. Those who have worked hard to save enough capital to live comfortably on their income during their retirement years are being penalized by the one per cent surtax on income of more than $200,000 which would be spent to i mprove the economy. Meanwhile, the “middle class” will benefit from paying less in income taxes, while statistics indicate that there has actually been an increase in their incomes over the past two decades. Are we on the slippery slope to a socialistic state to pay for unnecessary programs and objectives?
Tim Carsley, Montreal. Back in the 1970s, prime minister Pierre Trudeau and his finance minister, John Turner, discovered t hey could buy the hearts and minds of the people with the people’s own money. Serious budget deficits began. The move set in motion the Law of Unforeseen Circumstances, circumstances that I like to liken to the old song, “There’s a hole in my bucket.”
Forty odd years pass and we think we would have learned some lessons. But now Justin Trudeau and his finance minister, Bill Morneau, made their first attempt at buying the hearts and minds of the people. However, this time it is different. They are not attempting to make this purchase with the people’s money. Rather, they are putting the burden, knowingly, on our children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. The move is an absolute disgrace. Graham E. Sanders, Hastings, Ont. Just five months since being elected, the Liberals’ first budget has tripled the forecast 2016-17 budget deficit to $ 30 billion compared their glib campaign promise of $ 10 billion. Government spending on infrastructure and new “green” technologies will bring prosperity to Canada, the Liberals crow. Meanwhile, $ 30 billion in energy projects to be financed by the private sector at no cost to taxpayers wither on the vine.
The deficits will accumulate to the tune of almost $ 120 billion by the end of the Liberal mandate. Gone is the promise of a balanced budget by 2019-20. Trudeau’s offhand, pre- election quip “and the budget will balance itself ” apparently no longer applies. Jan Christoffersen, White Rock, B. C. My father taught me not to buy anything unless I could afford it. The prime minister has obviously never learned this, which is hardly surprising because his father did not understand either.
Martin Gough, Victoria.