March 4, 2010

Victims of Recession Lose Out

(Kamloops) Local New Democratic party candidate Michael Crawford sees nothing new in the Harper Conservatives' fifth budget for job creation and nothing to address senior's poverty.

"It looks like Harper's plan is to spend billions more on corporate tax giveaways, increase employment insurance payroll taxes, and gut the environmental review process" said Crawford. "Families and especially seniors will be wondering how Harper spent his time away from Parliament during prorogation if this is all he could come up with".

"Sadly the budget has nothing to address climate change and does nothing to protect pensions" said Crawford. "People in this riding, thrown out of their jobs in the forest industry and expecting that the government would help create new jobs, will find nothing in this budget to help them".

"The recession is far from over and students looking for affordable education, mothers looking for affordable child care, and patients looking for accessible health care will all be disappointed in this government" said Crawford. "It isn’t hard to understand people when they say that their government doesn't seem to care".

"Over the next few days and possibly weeks, Harper will have a chance to show that he wants a minority Parliament to work" said Crawford. "If that is his intention, he will consult with opposition parties and include their ideas in the budget".

"This is an opportunity for Kamloops MP Cathy McLeod to stand up for people in this riding and tell her boss that she can't support this budget as written because it doesn't help the innocent victims of this recession".