BALL IN HARPER’S COURT ON 2011 ELECTION SAYS HYER
Hyer says what Harper puts in Budget will signal Conservative election intentions
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Bruce Hyer
OTTAWA, ON – As the House of Commons returns from a 1-week break in what could be the dying days of this Parliament, MP Bruce Hyer is calling on the Prime Minister to consider carefully what he puts in the 2011 federal budget. Political parties are jockeying for position ahead of the upcoming budget, widely expected to be delivered on March 22. The Thunder Bay-Superior North MP says proof of Harper’s election intentions will be in what he puts in the next Budget.
“The principal job of government is to serve its citizens. Stephen Harper must consider the needs of everyday Canadians if he expects to get broad support for this year’s budget.” said Hyer. “In past years, he’s raised consumer taxes like the HST, cut back on programs, and racked up a record deficit …all to pay for deep tax cuts to large corporations. He’ll have to do better than that if he wants this budget to pass. Canadians don’t want to mortgage their children’s future to pay for wasteful corporate welfare to large corporations. They want their governments to do things like help make life more affordable for everyone, to provide support for retirement, and improve our health care system.”
With a minority government, Harper needs the support of at least one other party in the House of Commons if he is to have enough votes to see the next budget pass. A budget defeat in late March would trigger an immediate election, and Canadians could be heading to the polls as early as May 2nd.
Over the past weeks, the three federal opposition parties have broadly outlined what they will be looking for in the budget in order to lend their support. The Liberal focus on corporate tax cuts has taken them out of the running to support the budget under any foreseeable circumstances, while the Bloc has demanded $2.2 billion in payment for Quebec sales tax harmonization as well as $175 million for a private hockey arena in Quebec City. Federal New Democrat Leader Jack Layton met with Stephen Harper Feb. 19, where he outlined his requirements for budget support. The NDP wants the budget to repeal the federal sales tax from home heating bills and restore the EcoEnergy Home Retrofit program; increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for low-income seniors; expand the Canada Pension Plan (CPP); and help hire more family doctors and nurses.
“There will be a lot of rhetoric when Harper tables his budget, but actions speak louder than words.” said Hyer. “Now the election ball is in his court. If Harper includes measures to make Canadian retirement more secure by strengthening the CPP, to reduce seniors poverty by increasing the GIS, to support a responsive health care system, and take the federal HST off home heating, he will be signalling he’s willing to work with New Democrats and govern for another year.”
“If he funds a new hockey arena in Quebec and transfers billions to that province for HST harmonization payments, he is signalling to the Bloc Quebecois he is willing to pander to them to govern instead.” Hyer added.
“If he remains hard-line and includes none of these things in the budget, he is signalling he wants to go to the polls …even if his words say the opposite.” the MP concluded.
