Presentation to the Finance Committee Pre-Budget Consultation

This paper was prepared for the pre-Budget consultations of the Finance Committee.  It discusses several key principles to help guide the spending of the federal surplus: transparency, balance and purpose.  The paper proposes that the surplus not be directed towards debt reduction but rather towards a combination of program and tax reduction measures.  With respect to program expenditure, the authors have identified three top priorities from a wide range of proposals they have put forward over the years: child benefits, early childhood care and learning, and community supports for persons with disabilities and the aging population.  Possible tax reductions related to employment and education would be directed towards low-  and modest-income households.  The paper also recommends tax incentives for the production and purchase of green technologies.

ISBN – 1-55832-121-1