Harper Conservatives say they will not budge on the budget
Posted Mar 30, 2012 05:13:28 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The Conservatives say they are are not willing to budge on any measure in their budget.
The fiscal plan, tabled Thursday, will slash more than $5-billion worth of spending, cut around 19,000 public sector jobs and increase the eligible age for old age security from 65 to 67 beginning in 2023.
The opposition parties will get a chance to submit amendments on the budget, but Minister of State for Finance Ted Menzies told 680News they will not get passed.
“No, we don’t accept amendments on a budget. Budgets are confidence, they know full well that,” he explained.
Menzies says the budget is about creating a stable future for Canadians.
“This is about making sure that we have a sustainable system for the long term for our children and grandchildren and we owe that to them,” he said.
The NDP is upset that the government is fully standing behind its plan. Critic Peter Julian told 680News this is a slap in the face to voters.
“Conservative MPs were warned and now what we’re seeing is a government saying well to heck with all Canadians, we’re going to do whatever the hell we want,” he said.
From slashing services and jobs to altering OAS, the NDP says there’s a lot that needs to change in this budget.
“When you say we’re going to force future seniors to work two more years, if they can, and if they can’t they have to live in poverty. That is absolutely, I think, unacceptable to most Canadians,” said Julian.
Since the Harper Conservatives have a majority government there is no way the opposition parties can make any changes to the fiscal plan.
