April 17, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Federal Budget unveiled in Ottawa

Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the government’s 2024-25 budget yesterday in Ottawa.

A key proponent of the Budget is ‘Canada’s Housing Plan’ which aims to “unlock” 3.9 million homes by 2031. Some of the ideas are similar to those that Conservative Leader Piere Poilievre is promising, such as converting underused federal offices into housing. 

The government will also be taxing vacant land, and bringing in changes to capital gains taxes, increasing the taxable amount from 50% to 66.6% for capital gains over $250,000.

The government will also bring forward a carbon tax rebate for small businesses, a measure that the business community has long called for, and increase the ‘sin’ tax on smoking and vaping products.

As he often does, Saskaton Chamber CEO Jason Aebig took to social media to let Saskatoon businesses what the budget means for them:

Minister Freeland said Canada will post a $40 billion deficit this year, with Canada’s overall debt reaching $1.4 trillion. The interest costs to service the debt has reached a record high of $54.1 billion - more than the federal healthcare budget.

Pollster Angus Reid said the budget clearly targets Millenial and Gen X voters.

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SUMA delegates hear from Beck

The SUMA Convention continues in Regina as delegates from municipalities across the province gather and hear from leaders. On Monday it was Premier Moe who addressed the crowd, and today it was the NDP leader’s turn.

Carla Beck highlighted concerns around mental health and addictions, saying “There’s a lot of concern about infrastructure funding, concerns about mental health and addiction and how that’s disproportionately impacting municipalities.”

Speaking to media after her address, Beck noted how the delegates are there because they want to get to the table and deliver results, saying “Local leaders don’t have the benefit of hiding away in a marble palace, they deal with the decisions that are made every day.”

SUMA convention delegates will have an opportunity this morning to grill the Premier and cabinet ministers during the “Bear Pit” session.

(CTV News)

Sponsored by Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan

Tense legislative session puts spotlight on Speaker responsibilities

This session, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Randy Weekes has garnered attention (including both praise and criticism) in how he has handled proceedings in the Assembly chamber. The biggest point of contention between government and opposition MLAs has been the use of the word “lie” during Question Period and using language that may imply a member is dishonorable. The Speaker has often said “You cannot do indirectly what you cannot do directly,” and has asked members to apologize and withdraw their remarks. If they do not, they will be removed from the Assembly. The idea is for the Speaker to be an impartial referee in the Assembly and ensure there is decorum, accountability, and respect amongst all members.

Things have come to a head in recent days when Weekes ‘named’ cabinet minister and House Leader Jeremy Harrison after Harrison refused to apologize for a statement that was inaudible for viewers on the live stream. In the same exchange, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer was forced by Weekes to apologize for a private text she sent to the speaker in which Harpauer told the Speaker he had let the chamber dissolve into an “opposition puppet show.” Weekes made the extraordinary move of reading that private text into Hansard, the official record of the Assembly.

Politicians sometimes knowingly accuse each other of lying in an effort to be removed from the house. Earlier this session, NDP leader Carla Beck was removed from the chamber for saying Jeremy Harrison lied about her support for a carbon tax. Sask. United leader Nadine Wilson was removed for saying the government was lying about their 2030 agenda.

The chamber was notably less raucous on Tuesday, but as the final stretch of this contentious session continues on we may expect to see further disagreements and rulings made by a Speaker who is not seeking re-election this fall (he was defeated in a Saskatchewan Party nomination race by Kim Gartner), is becoming increasingly unpopular and estranged from his government caucus colleagues, and MLAs wanting to rhetorically gear up ahead of the October vote.

(CBC News)

Sponsored by Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy

More news and info

• SaskTel putting $80 million more into rural fibre optic initiatives (CBC Sask)

• Cardiac Care Campaign aims to raise $2.5 million for upgraded lab (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)

• MLA Greg Lawrence’s case adjourned again (Discover Moose Jaw)

• Conservatives maintain double-digit lead nation-wide (Research Co.)

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