Roundup Reaction To Yesterdays Federal Budget
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Not All Canadians Pleased By Federal Budget
From the Assembly of First Nations:
Phil Fontaine called the funding announcements in yesterday’s federal budget “particularly disappointing” in terms of addressing the First Nations health care crisis.
“Instead of receiving more funding to finally make inroads towards improving our shameful health status and strengthening the role of First Nations governments in delivering health care, this budget actually claws back much-needed funding,” said National Chief Fontaine. “For example, First Nations desperately depend upon the coverage provided by Non-Insured Health Benefits. This program will be cut by $27 million over the next three years.”
The National Chief also noted that the budget included several other major cuts to First Nations health funding. These include the elimination of the First Nations Health Information System, co-owned by First Nations in Ontario, through cuts of $36 million over three years, and the reassignment of $75 million of the previously announced $400 million funding for Upstream Investments and enhancement programming as renewal funding for the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative.
“Last Friday, the federal Health Minister told provinces and Aboriginal representatives that the $700M committed back in September was new money that would not slip into the existing program base,” stated the National Chief. “This was clearly not the case in this budget.”
“Again, no funding has been allocated towards public health infrastructure development in First Nations communities, even though this has been repeatedly identified in national reports as the largest gap in the Canadian public health system,” said the National Chief.
From YWCA Canada:
“The adage ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover’ comes to mind when analyzing the 2005 Federal Budget,” says Elaine Teofilovici, CEO YWCA Canada. “When we examine the details we find that this budget is long on future commitments and short on immediate solutions.”
The YWCA says the good news comes in the resources ear-marked for child care. It is well understood that a child care system that meets the QUAD principles would go a long way to improve equity for women in Canada. However, Teofilovici explains that, “When we analyze the ‘commitment’ to child care in this budget we are disappointed. There are no accountability mechanisms in place for the dollars allocated; there is no long term vision. We need assurance that the system will be built on evidence based research, not political whim. This means a not-for-profit system that provides excellent, affordable quality child care.”
The YWCA suggests strongly that women need affordable housing; access to legal aid; an increased Child Tax Benefit; decent and equal wages; quality, affordable child care; accessible education; and programs that support the economic and social progress of the 2.5 million women who currently live in poverty in Canada but are continuously ignored in federal budgets.
To Minister Goodale’s recent public assertion that a gender analysis would be maintained in this budget, Teofilovici responds, “This is not a budget that will change the systemic challenges faced by Canadian women. In particular, single mothers, immigrant, visible minority and aboriginal women will remain exactly where they are today: at the bottom of the social and economic ladder in Canada.”
From the Canadian Co-Operative Association:
Canada’s co-operatives are applauding the federal government’s decision to allow members of agricultural co-operatives to defer paying tax on patronage dividends they receive in the form of shares until the shares are disposed of.
Although yesterday’s Federal Budget followed through on the tax deferral measure, the measure applies only to agricultural co-ops that have as their principal business activity, farming or the provision of goods or services required for farming. In addition, the Government indicated that the co- operative investment plan will remain under consideration.
“CCA will be following how this measure addresses co-op capitalization needs, exploring how it could be expanded to other types of co-ops, and reviewing options for a concerted lobby effort to support this expansion,” says Olivia Enns, CCA Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy. “As well, we will explore in collaboration with our members, strategies to encourage the Government to move forward on the co-operative investment plan, which would be of greater benefit to newer co-ops.”
Canadian agricultural cooperatives are key players in the agrifood sector. There are 1,300 agricultural cooperatives in Canada, which employ more than 36,000 people and generate yearly revenues over 19 million dollars.
From the Association of Canadian Academic Healthcare Organizations:
The national organization representing teaching hospitals and teaching centres that are part of regional health authorities, say they are pleased with the overall focus on the health system as set out in Budget 2005.
ACAHO welcomes the multi-year fiscal framework that focuses on Canadians most pressing priority: timely access to a range of quality health services. “In addition, the investment of $200 million which focuses on wait time management strategies, performance indicators, and additional health human resources will contribute to the renewal of our health system,” said Mr. Joe de Mora, President of ACAHO, and President of Kingston General Hospital.
CAHO members applaud the series of initiatives outlined in the Budget that address public health, health promotion and prevention strategies. As well, the Association is pleased to see the federal government’s decision to extend the 83 per cent GST rebate to eligible non-profit health care facilities that provide services previously performed in hospitals.
“While we are encouraged by the federal government’s investment in Genome Canada, the Association will continue to push for enhanced multi-year increases in funding for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Indirect Costs program,” said Mr. Brimacombe, CEO of ACAHO. The Association will also seek clarity from the federal government on the future direction of its health innovation agenda.
From the NDP:
NDP Leader Jack Layton and finance critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis said today’s minority budget is better than Paul Martin’s majority budgets, but not great. The budget spends billions on corporate tax cuts, but appears to fall short of Liberal Kyoto promises and invests almost nothing in education or affordable housing.
“This minority budget is better than Paul Martin’s majority budgets but it’s not great,†said Layton.
“Some positive first steps like child care are longstanding promises broken under Liberal majorities but acted upon in minority government. The NDP welcomes this first step, but cautions new money must go into helping kids not helping large child care companies. On other issues we are disappointed. It is the wrong direction to spend billions on more corporate tax cuts while investing nothing in making education affordable – because our economy needs educated and trained workers. Delaying on investing in cities – particularly public transit – is short-sighted and throwing money at the environment may not keep Mr. Martin’s endless promise to Canadians and the world to fight smog and climate change,” explained Layton.
From the Conservative Party:
“While the budget included a number of items the Conservative Party has been advocating, including funding the development of new “green†technology, a commitment to alternate energy projects and assistance for city and municipal infrastructure to name a few, it certainly has its flaws,†said Conservative Party Environment Critic Bob Mills.
“The Liberals have already committed to spending $4-billion on Kyoto and plan to spend another $5-billion over five years ($3-billion in new spending). All this time CO2 emissions have steadily climbed and domestic environmental problems remain unresolved. And there is still no plan to comply with Kyoto,†said Mills.
“Also, let’s not forget that Parks Canada is now a part of Environment Canada. For years we have heard from the Environment Commissioner and others who have told us of the perilous situation in our parks. The government failed to address the glaring need for updated and repaired park infrastructure. That, among other things shows the absence of a long-term vision for our environment,†concluded Mills.
@ February 24, 2005