Canadian Budget 2005

[Kontiki]

I think it's a pretty solid buget, all things considered. There's no way they could possibly please everyone, but I think it hits on the major points.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by optimus2861
About the only thing in the budget I find praise-worthy is the military funding increase, and even that has to be regarded as just a beginning. We've got a long way to go to put our armed forces back in order, and a lot of the blame for their sorry condition lies squarely at the Liberals' feet for starving them of funding over the past decade.

Just curious but what would YOUR "dream budget " look like. This one looks middle of the road with a sprikle of everything. Where would you focus??


Oh and I remember that Mulroney election-- wow the country had a hate-on for him-- The funny thing is that the things he was so hated for-- NAFTA and the GST stand out -- are still in place even after a decade of Liberal rule.

[Garth Vader]

I thought the big thing people hated Mulroney for was the out of control deficits.

That's why I don't have any major complaints about the Liberals. I don't like the sleaze, but at least they are doing it within budget.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
I thought the big thing people hated Mulroney for was the out of control deficits.

That's why I don't have any major complaints about the Liberals. I don't like the sleaze, but at least they are doing it within budget.

True-- The PCS would say a balanced budget and then when the dust settled it would be a 10 billion deficet. If they budgeted 20 billion in the red, it was 30.


Now its the opposite. heck they project a suplus even with a contingency fund in place and then exceed expectations.

My question is whther that has much to do with the Liberals or has more to do with changing world circumstances that have led to major growth for Canadian industries EDIT-- obviously the better forecasts are government but do you think they are the cause of the surpluses ( would not much of say the energy development have occurred e regardless of the government ( with the possible exception of the NDP who might shut it down))

[optimus2861]

I didn't say it was a bad budget, just that I didn't find anything really praise-worthy aside from the military funding. Mostly I'm just indifferent to it.

Spending cuts to federal bureaucracies and crap like the gun registry would be my first order of business. Liberals will never kill that boondoggle, though, since Toronto seems to like it or something.

[Garth Vader]

Originally posted by Flubber


My question is whther that has much to do with the Liberals or has more to do with changing world circumstances that have led to major growth for Canadian industries EDIT-- obviously the better forecasts are government but do you think they are the cause of the surpluses ( would not much of say the energy development have occurred e regardless of the government ( with the possible exception of the NDP who might shut it down))

I would say the balancing/surpluses are due to the Liberals and not changing world situations because most(if not all) G8 type countries have much worse deficit situation than we have.

Even looking at the platforms from the last election I believe all the other parties were looking to spend WAY more and unbalance the budget.

[optimus2861]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
I thought the big thing people hated Mulroney for was the out of control deficits.

Bah -- the Liberals before him were running ever-increasing deficits themselves. Nobody seems to remember that Trudeau never balanced the books.

It was the constitution that finished him. If he'd let it go after Meech Lake he might've fared better, but Charlottetown just became an opportunity for all of Canada to tell him to get bent in that referendum.

Although, we're still left with a constitution that Quebec hasn't signed, and the Liberals don't seem to care about that detail.

[Hot Mustard]

Originally posted by optimus2861

About the only thing in the budget I find praise-worthy is the military funding increase, and even that has to be regarded as just a beginning. We've got a long way to go to put our armed forces back in order, and a lot of the blame for their sorry condition lies squarely at the Liberals' feet for starving them of funding over the past decade.

And that is a problem because we're under imminent threat of takeover by a hostile nation?

I prefer to be a nation that is respected for it's values and conduct, rather than because it carries a big stick.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by dejon


And that is a problem because we're under imminent threat of takeover by a hostile nation?

I prefer to be a nation that is respected for it's values and conduct, rather than because it carries a big stick.

To me its a simple question of adequately training and equipping your military if you plan to have a military. I do see some value in having a skilled if small military force.

Invasion is not likely but no navy for instance would mean that foreign fishing boats could rape our waters even more than they do now.

[St Leo]

Originally posted by optimus2861
Spending cuts to federal bureaucracies and crap like the gun registry would be my first order of business. Liberals will never kill that boondoggle, though, since Toronto seems to like it or something.

It's not really worth killing. The billion that was spent was all up front. The actual maintenance cost is low, and killing it would make the billion dollar investment a write-off.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Flubber
My question is whther that has much to do with the Liberals or has more to do with changing world circumstances that have led to major growth for Canadian industries EDIT-- obviously the better forecasts are government but do you think they are the cause of the surpluses ( would not much of say the energy development have occurred e regardless of the government ( with the possible exception of the NDP who might shut it down))

Downloading and cuts to provinces combined with the continued misappropriation from the EI fund.

[JimmyCracksCorn]

I was surprised at this budget. I expected it to be far more lef-wing to cater to the NDP and Bloc, but it was surprisingly centrist... even right wing (ish) at times.

Martin is a great example of talk one thing, do another.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by St Leo

Originally posted by optimus2861
Spending cuts to federal bureaucracies and crap like the gun registry would be my first order of business. Liberals will never kill that boondoggle, though, since Toronto seems to like it or something.

It's not really worth killing. The billion that was spent was all up front. The actual maintenance cost is low, and killing it would make the billion dollar investment a write-off.

In addition, killing it highlights the issue once again. While it still smolders, I can't see the Liberals wanting to bring any attention back on the gun registry.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Flubber



To me its a simple question of adequately training and equipping your military if you plan to have a military. I do see some value in having a skilled if small military force.

Invasion is not likely but no navy for instance would mean that foreign fishing boats could rape our waters even more than they do now.

I think beyond that part of being a peaceful and well respected nation is having the capability to initiate and maintain peacekeeping operations. We should have both a larger and better equipped armed forces to do this. For example, I'd love to see Canada take the reigns on the whole Darfur crisis and be able to drop 1000-2000 troops over there and be able to sustain them for a while, obviously in conjunction with other countries. And if we're going to send our troops into a potentially dangerous situation, I'd like to see them have top-notch equipment, like good trucks, APCs, transport planes and communication equipment.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kontiki


I think beyond that part of being a peaceful and well respected nation is having the capability to initiate and maintain peacekeeping operations. We should have both a larger and better equipped armed forces to do this. For example, I'd love to see Canada take the reigns on the whole Darfur crisis and be able to drop 1000-2000 troops over there and be able to sustain them for a while, obviously in conjunction with other countries. And if we're going to send our troops into a potentially dangerous situation, I'd like to see them have top-notch equipment, like good trucks, APCs, transport planes and communication equipment.