This year’s federal budget is in and I have to say I’m a bit baffled as to what direction our dear Conservative federal government is going.
Full disclosure, I have many, many, many issues with our “beloved” Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government.
Needless to say, much of this year’s budget has added fuel to the fire. Though the new budget has decided to not include any changes to Old Age Security, which would see benefits kick in at 67 years old instead of 65, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty noted that changes would come (by April 2023).
Apparently, this was done to make it “sustainable” for future generations.
OK, sure, but what about the youth of today?
Katimavik, a Canadian organization founded in 1977 to help said youth engage and volunteer in various parts of Canada, is also under the axe.
I won’t get into the politics (it was created by the Trudeau-era Liberals), or the financial arguments on why it was cut, because what else is there to say when another decades-old organization is cut? Speaking of old, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) is also up on the chopping block.
The NRTEE was a forum created in the late 1980s to seek policy advice from experts and businesses on the environment.
Supposedly with the advent of technology and the Internet, this organization is now obsolete.
Environment Canada will notice a six-per-cent cut, because really, according to Harper there’s no such thing as global warming.
Not only will Canadians feel the pinch on earth, but the Canadian Space Agency may also be seeing a reduction in funding. Bye science!
Finally, spending $25 billion on F-35 fighter jets, $10 billion more than previously proposed.
Really?
There are more funding cuts, some which are necessary, some not so much. On a positive note, there are investments aimed at training and job opportunities, as well as support for entrepreneurs and innovators.
It’s not all bad, but the budget certainly isn’t good.
Oh, and goodbye penny, my copper friend.
– Cassandra Chin is reporter for the Grand Forks Gazette.