An editorial in Saturday’s National Post posed the question of whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will follow former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s example when he balanced the budget. Let’s hope they don’t, as there is a right and a wrong way to do things.
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s government cut the average increase in program spending by 70 per cent, from 14 per cent a year over the previous 15-year period, to 4.1 per cent a year. In fact, according to the Fraser Institute, Mulroney’s government recorded average annual per-person spending declines of 0.3 per cent, making him one of only two prime ministers in Canadian history to have done so.
That would be the right way to proceed when faced with tough fiscal choices. The wrong way is to make someone else pay for it, which is precisely the approach that Chrétien and his finance minister, Paul Martin, adopted. Their cuts to transfer payments, particularly for health care, averaged 24 per cent between 1995 and 1998, leaving debt as their largest provincial transfer.
Hmmm. That’s not the way I remember it. Mulroney won in ‘84 with a landslide. Under he and FM Wilson, deficits went from bad to worse. They did introduce the GST but got no benefit. It all accrued to Chretien and Martin, who also passed down huge costs to the Provinces.
Mulroney, Reagan, and Thatcher. Great for the 1%.
Oh pulezzeeee! Yes, Chretien cut funding to the provinces, plus made other cuts to wrestle the $40B Mulroney deficit to zero.... THEN a new provincial funding formula increased funding to provinces, funded necessary programs and services... paid down the debt, etc etc etc.
“The wrong way is to make someone else pay for it, which is precisely the approach that Chrétien and.....Paul Martin, adopted”. Mayers column is partisan horseshit. To expect pain of balancing wudn’t be shared is fantasy. Pass afforded Mulroney’s inaction is convenient. cdnpoli
both Tories and Grits need a long term time out in the opposition, but not being to official opposition party.
Trudeau should resign - period
Get it brown paper envelopes?
There was a good reason why Brian's PC party went to 2 seats in the HoC. Forgot that part eh NP.
I think the NP should get new researchers, might want to take a good look at Brian's spending and many blunders. He created a lot of debt... LOL
Lol, get fucked.
Raise gst by three percent and restore fiscal capacity