City's NDP MPs blast budget

By Dan Hilborn
Published Feb. 26, 2005


Good, bad and indifferent. Those were the reactions from Burnaby politicians after federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale introduced the 2005/06 spending plan in the House of Common in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Local politicians stayed true to their roots as they alternatively described the annual spending plan as either a stroke of genius, simply adequate or an abject failure.

"I think the Liberals campaigned like New Democrats and then introduced a budget like Conservatives," said NDP MP Peter Julian, who represents the Burnaby-New Westminster riding.

Julian and his NDP colleague Bill Siksay from Burnaby-Douglas will likely vote against the spending plan, but they want to watch how the debate rolls out.

Siksay said he was disappointed by the fact that there was no mention of affordable housing in the budget, and the only real impact on post-secondary education will be a proposal to forgive a student loan only if the recipient dies.

"You have to die or be completely disabled to get this new assistance - that's just not good enough," Siksay said.

Siksay and Julian also expressed disappointment in the fact that the budget delayed most of its spending on child care and the environment until the later years of the budget, and that the government announced a $4.6-billion corporate tax cut.

"The major element I'm concerned about is that this seems to be more of a budget for corporations and wealthy Canadians," said Julian, who was especially concerned about the elimination of the 30 per cent ceiling on foreign investments in RRSPs.

"They seem hell bent on outsourcing," Julian said. "Eliminating the 30 per cent benefits banks, it doesn't benefit average Canadians."

Paul Forseth, the Conservative MP in New Westminster-Coquitlam, said he'll vote in favour of the spending plan, even with its flaws.

"We are going to outline how poor the budget is and provide our economic alternative, but we've also read the mood of the country and we are not going to use the budget to bring down the government at this time," Forseth said. "We have decided to allow the budget to pass while criticizing it strongly."

And that's just fine for the highest ranking Liberal party member in Burnaby - Bill Cunningham, the former candidate who now serves as executive director of the Pacific region federal cabinet office.

In a three-page press release, Cunningham pointed to Ottawa's commitment to provide $87 million over seven years to fund Olympic and Paralympic initiatives, another $15 million per year for athletes, releasing $636 million in gas tax revenues for local governments over five years, a $138-million investment in the Coast Guard to "procure, operate and maintain" six new large vessels, including four mid-shore patrol vessels, plus an increase of $298 million over five years for settlement and integration programs for new immigrants.

Cunningham said four federal cabinet ministers will be in Burnaby on Monday to discuss the budget's environmental initiatives, and Environment Minister Stephane Dion will speak to Mayor Derek Corrigan specifically about the proposal to dredge Burnaby Lake.

"This is exactly what British Columbians have been saying their priorities are," Cunningham said.