Think Public with the Alternative Federal Budget
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has released the 2010 version of its Alternative Federal Budget. The budget is produced in collaboration with unions, including the PSAC, and other progressive groups and individuals. As its name suggests, the Alternative Federal Budget offers a different economic approach, one that supports strong public services and working people.
- See also: Budget in brief PDF File, 210 KB
- Introduction
- Macroeconomic and Fiscal Framework
- Monetary Policy
- The Tax System
- Aboriginal Peoples
- Child Care and Early Learning
- Cities and Communities
- Culture and the Arts
- Communications
- Health Care
- Housing
- Immigration
- Post-Secondary Education
- Poverty Reduction
- Seniors and Retirement Security
- Women’s Equality
- Environment
- Agriculture
- Water
- Defence and Development
- International Economy
- Employment Insurance
- Sectoral Development
- Privatization
The Alternative Federal Budget stands in opposition to the types of government cuts that took place in the 1990s that reduced public service spending to 1960s levels. It took seven years to recover the full time jobs that were lost due to those cuts and quality public services suffered as a result.
The Harper government's cuts to corporate income taxes, the GST, and taxes on the wealthy have already undermined quality public services. There is very little left to cut. Meanwhile, Canada's poverty rate ranks among the worst of 17 leading developed countries.
Instead, the Alternative Federal Budget talks realistically about the need to address falling federal government revenues, recommending strategic tax measures that would help restore the progressive nature of Canada's tax system, while using taxes to support the kinds of programs and services that Canadians need and value.
In spite of what Canadians see and hear in their daily media, there are alternatives to slashing public services and the proposals offered in the Alternative Federal Budget will have far greater and more lasting benefits.
Date Modified : 2010/07/13
