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Nanaimo MP finds oversights in federal budget

The federal government’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented the budget Wednesday in the House of Commons.

Nanaimo’s MP feels important Island issues were overlooked in this week’s federal budget.

Sheila Malcolmson, NDP Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, said B.C.’s coastal communities are being let down by a lack of measures to address derelict vessels, protect salmon or support forestry jobs.

The federal government’s Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented the budget Wednesday in the House of Commons. The deficit for 2017 is estimated to be $28.5 billion.

Malcolmson, who has advocated more expeditious cleanup of derelict boats, said she had expected funding on that file and was “very sad” it wasn’t there.

She said forestry was another area where her party had anticipated seeing budget dollars.

“We were expecting, given all of the concern about the softwood lumber agreement, that there might be some money set aside for forestry, jobs, and giving some reassurance to the industry and very sorry to see nothing there,” Malcolmson said.

She felt the budget failed to deliver on “big election themes” such as child care, veterans’ affairs and climate change.

“Either nothing, or else the spending put off so far into the future that we have to wait until after the next election for many of these,” she said.

She was underwhelmed by the money in the budget that will go to affordable housing.

“We know what a huge need that is in our communities. Less than half of what was promised in the election campaign has actually been committed, so that’s a disappointment,” she said.

As far as climate change action, the MP felt the budget went in the wrong direction. She said eliminating the public transit tax credit will have negative effects and she noted that the funding for the Pan-Canadian Clean Grown and Climate Change framework has been cut by more than $1 billion over the next two years. Malcolmson said she had hoped the Liberals would make up for lost time and accelerate spending on climate partnerships.

“And to see some money cut for the next two years was perverse, really,” she said.

The MP said the government’s messaging in recent weeks dialled back expectations about the budget, but she said the Liberals had also raised her hopes on one front with talk of a gender-informed budget. Malcolmson, the NDP’s status of women critic, said all the government did was acknowledge various gender-equality problems, “and yet not a penny for either pay equity or for child care this year.”

The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce weighed in with a press release that gave the federal budget “a C-plus grading at best.”

Kim Smythe, president and CEO of the Nanaimo chamber, said in the press release that funding for ports, high-tech development and tourism, and easing of inter-provincial trade restrictions on alcohol “all have a potential for positive impact on Nanaimo and the mid Island.”

He held up the B.C. government as an example, citing the province’s balanced budgets, investments in economic diversification and competitive tax structure.

“As the federal government begins to rein in spending, some of these benefits may accrue over time on the federal front,” he said.

A Government of Canada press release noted that the federal budget puts a strong focus on innovation, skills, partnerships and fairness and is the next step in a long-term plan to create jobs and strengthen the middle class.

Some of the announced funding includes $11.2 billion over 11 years to a national housing strategy; $7 billion over 10 years for child care spaces starting in 2018; $3.4 billion over five years for First Nations infrastructure, health and education; and $1.4 billion toward business innovation and start-ups.

“The next step in our plan for Canada’s economy is making the smart, responsible investments we need to be innovative and competitive, while improving the health of our communities, ensuring a better future for our kids and grandkids,” said Morneau in the press release.

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