FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22, 2011

Harper chooses provoking an election over helping BC families and seniors

OTTAWA – With today’s budget, Stephen Harper missed the opportunity to make life more affordable and help Canadian families still recovering from the effects of the recession.

“The budget is a great disappointment for Canadians looking for the Conservatives to stop playing political games and get something done for them,” said New Democrat Deputy Leader Libby Davies (Vancouver East).

In an effort to make Parliament work, NDP Leader Jack Layton met with Prime Minister Harper and put forward a set of affordable measures to help Canadians. Unfortunately, the Conservative’s budget did not address New Democrats’ reasonable proposals.

“It seems incredible with such a housing crisis in metro Vancouver and many communities across Canada, that there would be nothing in the budget for affordable housing,” stated Libby Davies. “The City of Vancouver has consistently called on the federal government to make an ongoing commitment for affordable housing – this budget fails on that score.”

“Instead of spending billions on unnecessary corporate tax cuts, the government should be investing to combat seniors’ poverty and improve retirement security for Canadians,” stated Don Davies (Vancouver-Kingsway). “This budget gives less than half of what seniors need to keep up with the HST increase in their daily living expenses.”

Don Davies added, “This budget is grossly disappointing. Mr. Harper clearly wants an election. New Democrats proposed practical and affordable measures that the Harper Government simply ignored.”