Well what can I say, this is my first time ever watching a budget address on television, hell this is the first time I've actually cared about a budget really. I was kind of disappointed, not because of what was presented, rather because of what was not, and that was the changes to EI that I thought should be there. Of all my years of working, since I was 16, I have never collected EI, not because I didn't need it, but because I didn't qualify. Imagine that, having to "qualify" to collect your own money. Ever since that attempt, I haven't even bothered with it. I know I am not alone in my discontent and by now I am sure that Liberals, Conservatives and anyone else who bothered to tune in has already blogged about the budgets lack of EI reform.

...

I wanted to write in my blog immediately after watching it but I had my kung fu lesson tonight and when I returned, as usual, I scanned google news and found an interesting story that side tracked me. That story is something I may possibly blog about tomorrow when I am not so exhausted.

Back on point, I was not as disappointed all in all as others are because I think it had a little bit of everything for everybody and I know that you can't please everyone. It for sure was not your typical Conservative budget and has even been called an NDP budget. Yes, the projected $85 billion deficit is a bit harsh to swallow but given the circumstances, I think it was pretty much unavoidable going that deep into the red.

Here are some highlights

-$85 billion deficit over the next five years
-Personal taxes down $20 billion over six years
-Business taxes cut by $2 billion over six years
-$12 billion for infrastructure spending towards roads, sewers and universities
-$1 billion for "green" infrastructure
-$1 billion for clean-energy research.
-$1.5 billion for job training programs
-$7.8 billion for social housing and home renovation, including a one-year only Home Renovation Tax Credit of up to $1,350 per household.
-$2.7 billion in short-term loans to the auto industry.
-More than $1.4 billion for aboriginal schools, health, water, housing, community services and training.
-About $325 million for arts and culture.

One more thing that I would have loved to see would be some kind of relief for student loans, perhaps a bail out?

Oh and seeing that dumb shit Dwight Duncan being interviewed on both CTV and CBC was enough to make me nauseated ,blargh!

I would like to engage my readers and ask them what they would have liked to see in the budget. If you were the finance minister, what would you have done differently? Be sure to vote in my poll on the side menu.

 Subscribe in a reader