2006 Buget

[Jagfarms]

CTV news
"$1.5 billion more than what the previous Liberal government promised this year for agriculture."

CBC News
"An additional $2 billion over two years has been allocated to the farm sector, including $1.5 billion this year broken down as follows: $500 million for farm support, and a one-time amount of $1 billion "to assist farmers in the transition to more effective programming for farm income stabilization and disaster relief"

[cowman]

Hopefully the money will get out to the people who need it fairly fast, although it seemed to me they were saying the one billion would basically be going out in a new improved CAIS, so doubt that will get out there very fast?
While applauding the governments efforts to get the money out, I would hope this isn't just another bandaid type of government that throws money to put out the fire?
It would be helpful if they came up with some real solutions to a continueing decline in agriculture instead of adhoc programs or boondoggles like CAIS?

[coppertop]

Some of the other budget items sound great on paper, don't know how they will work at tax time though.

The childcare issue won't go away, I was amazed at the criticism of the $100 per child per month by numerous people interviewed on the news. I just don't understand how parents can both want or need to work and expect the country to care for their kids. The $100 per child per month will assist with daycare costs or help the stay at home mom provide a few extras for the family.
I think the assistance for text books, tools for tradespersons are both excellent tax breaks, as is the $1000 deduction for all employed Canadians, so it looks like the government is trying to head in the right direction as far as tax cuts go.

I suspect that the Bloc will be the only other party to support the budget, of course the Liberals won't and the NDP won't be happy until the government promises to assure every single federal employee in the country that their job is safe until they retire !!

[farmers_son]

Most farmers are in the lowest tax bracket and those people will find this budget will give them a tax increase. I frankly do not understand the logic behind that.

This budget is being supported by the Bloc. Yes there is mention of money for agriculture but it should come as no surprise if a lot of that money is earmarked for Quebec producers.

[coppertop]

The funding for agricluture isn't the main reason the Bloc will support this budget. Their big issue is the assurance that Harper plans on dealing with equalization issues within the next year.

[wilagro]

Don't starve to death before this "farm money" arrives in your mailbox.

The details are scant and the basis of payment is even scanter. Expect a raft of red-tape as with the CAISE.

Something for nothing...I don't think so. Not with this or any other CONservative government.

[silverback]

So in 3 1/2 months you would expect the new gov't to be able to fix up the problems and programs made up over the last 13? Give me a break!!

I am guessing that once the Auditor General has some time to get to work, we might find a little "extra" money that wasn't doing what it should.

At least they are doing what they said they would do and not promising everything 5 to 10 years into the future like the past hacks.

[ivbinconned]

One can always count on Wilagrow to excuse liberals...but NEVER defend them!

How about this for a liberals view of the world...

On Mike Duffy Live last night (post budget) he had on some Liberal woman (Carolyn Bennet) and Olivia Chow (thats Jack Chows wife) talking about the budget and child care. The Liberal woman made a comment very much like this:

There is no money for new daycare spaces or early learning, so it's a good thing then that they plan to spend more on prisons since there will be more kids growing up to be criminals.

Got that? If you stay home and raise your own kids like generations before did, you are putting them on a path to becoming a criminal.

[coppertop]

or, if you want to work away from home and the taxpayers of the country aren't willing to cover your child care costs then its the taxpayers fault if your child becomes an axe murderer !!!!

I realize that the NDP wants to see social programs increased even where there isn't a real need, but to compare it to a tougher policy on crime is ridiculous.

[skhadenuf]

Actually our government led us to believe that they had the answers to the agricultural problem long before 3 and a half months ago. There is nothing complicated about what was needed in this budget, flat out cold hard cash just to get us by to put the crop in. If they neede more time for the long haul fine but all that time in opposition they should have had some ideas as to what they would do if they formed the government. Maybe they didn't expect to be the government, maybe they didn't realize that us farmers from the west and Ontario actually could have a say in who would be in power or not. I know one thing if they don't rethink and get more money out here in a hurry next election they will be surprised again we'll boot them the hell out, unless they've kissed enough Quebec butt to get more of those votes they'll be gone. If that's the case seperation is the only option and it won't be done by Quebec.
I don't speak alone when I say this was basically the last chance for our current system to work for us rural people out west. It looks like it's turning into the same circus as the Liberals had going with Quebec.

[almoy]

It seems like the politicians have all the "good" ideas while they are in opposition. They seem to forget them when they become government. I talked to a couple of Conservative MP's while they were opposition members about farm policy. They claimed the farmers should be getting more help and quicker than was being delivered. You would think they should have had some idea how they would handle the problem before most of us disappear.

[grassfarmer]

How much good would a large cash advance to producers be? My guess is it would be spent on more inputs resulting in a bigger crop which would again be worth less. The problems run deeper and to my mind cash handouts would just be throwing good money after bad. I would guess that most producers will seed a crop as farmers are optimists by nature... if some don't it may help the returns of the optimists.

[corine]

What at least part of the 1 bilion will go to is what's called p-1/p-2 pricing under CAIS which means that instead of using the year end price for all inventories, opening inventory will be priced at the fair market value at the start of the year & closing inventory priced at the fair market value at the end of the year. So if you started say 2003 with 1000 bushels of $10 canola & ended with 1000 bushels of $6 canola they will now pay out on that $4 drop.
As I understand it. Of course they will need to get the provinces to agree as well.

[silverback]

I am fully aware that the current farm situation is dire and sucks bad.

However, if I were sitting here needing some emergency cash from the federal gov't just to put the crop in, I think things would be a lot more serious than what any gov't could do for me.

Farming is very rewarding in some ways, but unfortunately there is no law that says the taxpayers of this country need to give us cash when times get tough.

There is also nobody forcing any of us to stay on the farm and try and raise our families. There is boatloads of money out there to be had, it just requires a little sacrifice, time, and effort. If it can help keep the farm in the family, it is a sacrifice that has to be taken sometimes.

[silverback]

skhadenough, I agree to a certain extent to what you're saying but nowhere did Silverback say that he wants his to neighbor to quit?? What he is saying that if your counting on a big cheque from the gov't to put the crop in, that is a long shot. I'm in the same boat, times are tough, but you critize the Conservatives. I think they've done pretty well in 3 months of term. What do you think the Liberals would've gave us in this budget?? Probably the same as the last 13 years. Like I said I'm hurting also but to expect a cheque from the gov't to pay out whatever debts you have on the farm is pretty unrealstic.