Next week’s federal budget will make important choices.

The Conservatives are promising more of yesterday’s failed policies with a “stay the course” budget that will include billions in new spending on corporate tax cuts and higher taxes for average Canadians.

The Conservative plan would yet again lower corporate taxes for all profitable companies -- over a third of the value of this new spending would go to the two most profitable sectors - oil and gas and the chartered banks.

At the same time, the Conservatives are planning to take another $19 billion from the pay-cheques of every Canadian worker by increasing the Employment Insurance payroll tax.

Jack Layton and the New Democrats have new ideas to ensure all Canadians benefit from the economic recovery that include shelving this year’s scheduled corporate tax reduction and putting a freeze on the EI payroll tax.

Why is the Conservative tax plan unfair?

The Conservative plan means billions of dollars in tax breaks for those who need help the least, and billions in new costs on hard-working, recession-weary Canadians who need a break the most.

With 1.5 million Canadians still unemployed, growing inequality and with seniors’ poverty doubling, now is not the time to spend billions on corporate tax reductions or hit Canadians with new payroll taxes.

Now is the time to invest instead in job creation and a better quality of life for our poorest seniors through improvements to the Guaranteed Income Supplement.