Blatant bribery

Like every federal budget since Confederation, the first one tabled by Stephen Harper’s minority Conservative government yesterday afternoon was greeted—predictably—by cheers and jeers alike.
On the one hand, individual Canadians should be seeing more money in the pockets thanks to the various tax breaks unveiled by Finance minister Jim Flaherty—most notably the one percent drop in the GST effective July 1, but others affecting everyone from students and seniors to workers, tradespeople, and commuters.
There’s even help for parents to enroll their children in fitness programs.
Before you pop the champagne cork, though, it remains to be seen how these breaks will be offset by a rise in income tax as well as higher “sin” taxes (i.e. alcohol and tobacco).
In terms of spending, the Conservatives are giving more to farmers, the military, police, businesses, and cities, but much less to aboriginals and the environment.
Perhaps the budget’s most controversial item is the $1,200 annual allowance to parents for all children under six years of age, which essentially is replacing the national child care plan the previous Liberal government had forged with the provinces.
Supporters will hail the budget for all its tax breaks—and the definite ideological shift that touts individual Canadians fuelling the economy by having more money to spend. Critics, on the other hand, will decry the programs being cut to pay for a budget they also see as most benefiting the rich.
As for the cynics, yesterday’s budget was nothing more than the Tories bribing Canadians with their own money in hopes of capturing a majority government next time around. It’s a tactic that’s also been around since Confederation—and one that usually works.