Local MP slams budget

Photo: Contributed

Mel Arnold has little good to say about Wednesday's federal budget.

The Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative MP slammed the Trudeau government for the $28.5-billion deficit document.

“If that's what they call modest, I'm pretty concerned,” said Arnold. “I am very concerned of the government’s fiscal policies that have added to the debt burden that Canadians will be paying off for years to come. Trudeau’s promise of limiting deficits to $10 billion a year has been broken a second time now and it is Canadians who will pay through higher taxes.” 

He said the federal Liberals are looking at an $80-billion deficit from 2016 to 2019.

“That's about $2,200 per person. It's about $9,000 for a family of four over the three years,” said Arnold.

Arnold also slammed the Liberals for their claim to be helping the middle class, when things like the carbon tax will hit them in the pocket book.

“At a time when Justin Trudeau is making life more expensive, he could have offered lower taxes and a job creation plan that actually works,” said Arnold. “Instead, Canadians are getting nickel-and-dimed by this prime minister so he can continue to fund these deficits.” 

The public transit tax credit, which allows the cost of transit passes to be deducted, is also being eliminated.

The first-time MP also took notice of a projected 24 per cent GST revenue increase over the next six years.

“That GST is something everybody pays whenever they buy something,” Arnold said from Ottawa. “It will be hidden in the little things. It will be death by a thousand cuts.

“They are looking at any way they can to increase revenue.”

The Tories are still dissecting the budget and intend to go over it in depth.

Employment insurance premiums are going up five cents to $1.68 per every $100 of insurable earnings, up from $1.63 — the maximum allowable increase under the Employment Insurance Act.