The first budget of the Tory majority era largely mirrors the one Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered barely two months ago.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper forged ahead with a budget loaded with low-cost tax breaks, modest pension help for the poorest seniors, and a vow to slay the deficit within four years.
Bruce Grey Owen Sound Conservative MP Larry Miller says this budget should prove to the nay’sayers there’s no hidden agenda.
The budget contains increases in the Guaranteed Income Supplement for Seniors.
Miller says it means a 840 dollar break for couples and 600 dollars break for a single senior.
The budget also contains the Care Giver’s Tax Credit which Miller says helps people who take time off work to help a family member.
And Miller also feels the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit will be welcomed news for his constituents considering the number of communities that rely on the volunteer system.
New to the spending blueprint is 2.2 billion dollars for Quebec to fully harmonize its provincial sales tax with the federal GST, and a commitment to phase out the $2-per-vote public subsidy received by all federal political parties.
The loss of the per-vote subsidy will leave parties almost fully reliant on private donations.
