Something needs to be done to correct the last five years of fiscal irresponsibly. It would also help if Flaherty would stop siphoning public funds to his private companies.

completely agree.

although, the Government would say that spending was necessary to prevent a recession...

 

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- Provide $275 million to build and renovate schools on reserves.

It should be way more than that. Especially because they are giving $475m to improve some sports facilities

Otherwise the budget looks good. The US really needs to take a page from Canada. This country is in dire straights. I hope they do hit a budget surplus in 2016. My hat off the Flaherty if they do.

 

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you guys are comparing peanuts to american spending on anything .

 

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I realize Canada is a lot smaller but they are also a lot more fiscally sound and are able to have way better stability. Taking ideas from their some of their successes would probably be prudent for the US.

 

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yeah i know lol but American politicians don't give a damn, their retirement money is fine, and its not their money, they'll borrow, steal or beg for new revenue to get their friends more business etc.. and when they do retire they'll get nice jobs at companies that doesn't require them to do actually any work at all.

 

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Yep. That's why it's so tragic that this hasn't been done before now. The Native People basically take a back seat on anything policy related. Oh they get the token 'kiss ass' speeches and words, but policy-wise, it's "we already gave you land and cut you a tax break, you're not our problem now, shut up and go away"


This money is about a swing in ideology as well. Before, if you didn't live on the reserve you did not get government help, tax breaks, and other incentives. So the message was: stay there, we don't want you (and the standard of living and quality of life/opportunity on the reserves is NOT good...). This is to encourage kids to learn, to be able to compete with other kids, and to LEAVE THE RESERVE. It's goal (especially in booming BC with a heavy Native population) is to get young people working and for them to be productive members of society (and then pay taxes).


Sort of amazing the power a country's budget can have...

 

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I understand that but I don't agree with the thought behind the program. Do the kids WANT to leave the Reserve? Has anyone asked Natives what they think would help or improve their situation? I don't agree with just throwing money at a population to get them to simmer down but I wish more was being done to reinvest and redevelop reserves so they could become self-sufficient or at the very least, more independent. I realize that there isn't anything on reserves now, but why not build schools there? I understand this solution might be the easiest option right now, but I feel like providing funds for Natives who must leave the Reserve to utilize them is just another form of assimilation.

 

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