YORKTON-MELVILLE RESIDENTS RECIPIENTS OF GOOD NEWS IN FEDERAL BUDGET

OTTAWA — Monday, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty on behalf of the Conservative Government, announced a budget which will improve the quality of life of all Canadians. Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, commended the government for ensuring families and seniors in all Canadian constituencies will benefit from Monday’s budget announcement.

“For seniors, we have guaranteed pension income splitting and raised the age for converting Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP’s) to Retirement Income Funds (RIF’s) from 69 to 71,” said Breitkreuz. “Families will benefit with the new $2,000 tax credit for each child under 18 years of age. It is expected that will cut a family’s income tax by $310 per child.”

“In addition, this government has moved forward with historic action to restore fiscal balance.” Included in the Budget 2007 announcement was increasing equalization payments to the Province of Saskatchewan from zero dollars to $226 million. In addition, in 2007-08 Saskatchewan will receive the largest per capita gains of any province under the fiscal balance package. This amounts to $238 per capita in transfers and benefits to the province. By comparison, the province of Quebec will receive $91 per capita.

“Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister, Andrew Thompson, said he didn’t care how the money came to the province, as long as it came, and this Conservative Government has delivered,” said Breitkreuz. “The majority of the budgeted money will go directly to the people of Saskatchewan, and not to the Government of Saskatchewan to spend. If Premier Calvert is upset because the residents of Saskatchewan will be receiving $878 million in new money from the federal government, he has absolutely no credibility.”

Also announced during Monday’s budget speech is money targeted to the use of biofuels, specifically $0.10 per litre for ethanol and $0.20 per litre for bio-diesel. “The inclusion of the biofuels initiative is a personal victory for me,” said Breitkreuz, who had pushed Finance Minister Flaherty for the inclusion of biofuels. “The entire agriculture sector continues to play a major role in the Canadian economy, and this Conservative Government understands that and supports our farmers. We clearly showed that earlier this month when Prime Minister Harper announced two new commitments totalling $1 billion in improvements to national farm income programs.”

The March 9, 2007, agriculture announcement, made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a farm near Saskatoon, marked the next important step in fulfilling our Conservative Government’s commitment to replace the Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization (CAIS) program. Included in the announcement was $600 million to kick-start the new savings account program. This money will flow just as soon as an agreement is reached with the provinces and territories and agreement is reached with financial institutions to manage the producer accounts. To deal with the cost-of-production crunch, another $400 million will be paid directly to eligible producers to compensate them for income declines due to price and cost pressures. While payments will vary based on farm size, it is expected the average payment to farmers will be approximately $2,000.

“Of course the commitments made in Monday’s budget announcement can only be fulfilled with the support of the majority of the House of Commons,” said Breitkreuz. “Despite putting forward a budget to make a stronger, safer, better Canada, early indications are the NDP and Liberal parties will not support the budget when it comes to a vote next week. If the Bloc Quebecois also reject our budget targeting money to seniors, families and health care, we will be into an election. Should that happen, the opposition political parties will also ensure Canadian farmers will not receive the $1 billion announced March 9.”

Debate on the 2007 Budget will immediately begin among all political parties, with the vote scheduled for next week.

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