Conservatives continue austerity cuts, introduce no new measures to create jobs

Stephen Harper promised to focus on jobs, but instead he's ploughing ahead with job-killing austerity cuts and playing a shell game with skills training money.

Conservatives not only fail to address the specific challenges faced by Aboriginal peoples, they introduce a regressive new workfare program for First Nation communities.

Despite the fact that there are still 300 000 more unemployed people than before the recession, the Conservatives’ Budget 2013 cuts billions in infrastructure programs and fails to introduce new measures to create jobs.

According to the Official Opposition leader Tom Mulcair, this budget will hurt our economy and leaves too many of today’s problems for future generations to solve.

“There is nothing in this budget to prepare Canada for a 21st-century economy. The Conservatives are leaving a huge environmental, social and fiscal debt to our children,” said Mr. Mulcair.

“I am very disappointed that Mr. Harper has walked away from building a new more respectful relationship with First Nations. The budget measures for these communities reveal a paternalistic and insulting approach,” added the leader of the NDP.

The NDP also reminded that last year, Conservatives predicted economic growth that never came – overestimating growth figures by over 35% and failing to contain the current account deficit – which has now reached $67 billion.

“Economists predict this year will be even worse than last year. Austerity and reckless cuts are not the path to sustainable prosperity,” said the NDP’s Finance Critic, Peggy Nash. “We need a real plan, not more smoke and mirrors.”