St. Albert MP Michael Cooper makes lots of claims.
He claims the recent federal budget is a “train wreck” of reckless spending. Is it reckless to spend $11.2 billion on affordable housing when so many are in need? Is it reckless to spend $2.7 billion on job and market support programs to help those out of work upgrade their skills, gain experience, start a new business or seek employment counselling and get them back into the workforce, thus stimulating the economy? Is it reckless to spend $400 million to make more venture capital available to Canadian entrepreneurs, which will help businesses and stimulate the economy?
He claims the federal government is doing nothing to reduce the deficit and balance the budget. The budget plans to conduct a comprehensive spending review of several government departments to eliminate waste and inefficiencies, go after tax evaders and improve tax compliance, and eliminate some of the reckless tax cuts put in place by the previous administration.
While tax sharing may have put a few extra dollars in the pockets of some families, it was bleeding $20 billion from public coffers every year, making it very hard to balance the budget, especially when oil prices are so low. All sound ways to bring in extra revenue to help bring down the deficit.
He claims that the carbon tax will cost Alberta families $2,400 per year. I calculated what it is going to cost my Alberta family this year, living in an average single-family dwelling: $27.
Michael Cooper makes lots of claims. Some of them unfounded, it seems.
Tracey Stefanyk, St. Albert
