But! Who want election? The conservative party ruling or the 3 oppositon parties who did not get what they wanted?

What the 2011 Federal Budget Means for You (Besides an Election)

 Kate McCaffery

Mar 22nd 2011 at 7:11PM

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Filed under: Taxes, Small Business

Ah, politics. The smell of an election is in the air. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is speaking in the House of Commons as I type this, reading his prepared notes as leaders of the opposition parties take their turns at the podium of microphones to tell reporters what they think of the document. (They, along with reporters, have spent the day reading Flaherty's latest offering.)

Not surprisingly, Bloc Quebecois leader, Gilles Duceppe, and his party have given the budget their thumbs down, as has Michael Ignatieff on behalf of the Liberals.

"My job is not to seek an election," Ignatieff repeatedly told reporters. "My job is to force the government to be accountable."

Uh-huh...

NDP leader, Jack Layton appears to have struck the final blow. "Nothing in this budget has persuaded me that Mr. Harper has changed his ways and is prepared to work with others in Parliament to give middle class families a break," Layton told reporters. Still, he did leave the door to an election-free spring session open, just a crack, saying the NDP would not support the budget in its current form. "We will not be supporting the budget that's been presented here today."

Apparently, his response was not all that surprising to those who've had a chance to read things.

Do you think Canada should have a federal election at this time?

Yes	115 (22.0%)
No	408 (78.0%)

Toronto Star political columnist, Chantal Hébert says it appears that the budget was "not written to allow the NDP to support it." Even Macleans editor Andrew Coyne, who's long said there would be no election this spring, admits he is less certain. As for the substance of the thing, he says the budget looks thin. "It's one of the least impressive budget documents in the last 20 years," he told CBC's Peter Mansbridge in the moments after the documents were made public.

Just like any budget though – yours, mine, some company's or the one Flaherty drafts for the country – there is only so much money to go around. Now it remains to be seen whether or not the opposition parties will join forces in a non-confidence vote, forcing an election, or if amendments will be made to appease the NDP.

Here are some of the more interesting points and promises offered up by Flaherty in his speech to the House of Commons:

• Flaherty says the government will keep taxes low. (Hard to argue with that.)
• "To encourage small businesses to hire new employees," the Hiring Credit for Small Business gives small businesses a one year break from paying EI premiums for new hires.
• Small business that needs to invest in machinery and equipment could also benefit from an extension of the 50 per cent, straight-line accelerated Capital Cost Allowance. (Deductions! Check with your accountant – if the budget passes, this will be extended for another two years.)
• There's a new Family Caregiver Tax Credit for those who care for infirm spouses, common-law partners and minor children. In his speech, Flaherty says the credit will be "on an amount of $2,000." Credits are funny though – it's hard to tell without running the numbers, just how much money this works out to at the end of the day. (The math certainly wasn't discussed in Parliament.)
• A Children's Arts Tax Credit, which sounds a lot like the Children's Fitness Credit, will cover up to $500 of eligible expenses, per child participating in eligible arts or cultural activities.
• If you're going green with your home renovations, the budget also proposes extending the ecoENERGY Retrofit Homes program for another year.
• Low income seniors will get additional money – to the tune of $600 a year for single seniors, up to $840 per year for senior couples – through a top up to the Guaranteed Income Supplement.
• In another somewhat softly worded statement, Flaherty says the government also plans to "work with provincial and territorial partners to implement the Pooled Registered Pension Plan," a low cost pension option for self-employed Canadians and others who want to save for retirement. (I'm curious.)
• Doctors and nurses who agree to work in rural areas can have up to $40,000 or $20,000 respectively, of their student loans forgiven.
• First Nations reserves will have funds earmarked to help replace essential fuel tanks.
• Volunteer firefighters get a tax credit.
• Research at higher education institutions could get more funding. (The government says it will establish a number of research chairs at instructions across the country.)
• Exam fees paid by those who need to certify their skills will be eligible for the Tuition Tax Credit.
• It sounds like the Canada Student Loans Program will be extended or enhanced so part-time students have more access to funds.
• Finally, the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers – created for those who need special help to re-enter the workforce – will also be extended.

We'll see what happens.


Kate McCaffery is a freelance writer in Toronto, Ontario. Visit mccaffery.ca/kate2.0/ for more information.