INNISFAIL - The federal budget for 2017 has been unveiled and like the provincial one on March 16 there is very little for Innisfailians and Central Albertans to get excited about.
In fact, Mayor Brian Spiller, who noticed the growth in provincial debt when the NDP unveiled its budget, was equally alarmed with the federal government's annual financial blueprint that was dropped on March 22.
"It's just adding on to it. Both provincial and federal governments are building up large deficits that our children and grandchildren are going to have to deal with, which I do not find appropriate whatsoever," said Spiller.
The Liberal government deficit forecast for 2016-17 is $23 billion. That is projected to climb to $28.5 billion by 2017-18. The Trudeau government hopes to have it down to $18.8 billion by 2021-22.
During the 2015 federal election campaign, the Liberals repeatedly promised they would run deficits no greater than $10 billion a year, and would balance the budget by 2019.
"There is just a continuation of out of control spending," said Earl Dreeshen, the MP for Red Deer-Mountain View riding. "Probably by the end of this fiscal year we will be up to $50 billion worth of deficit, and then there is another 50 (billion) planned for the two years after that. So a $100 billion extra debt when they said, ëWe may go into debt a little bit,' and then a promise of a balance back in 2019. Well, that is completely thrown out of the water now."
However, both Spiller and Dreeshen did have praise, muted as it may be, for two items that were included in the Liberal government budget. The Innisfail mayor was relieved to see the Federal Gas Tax Fund is going to stay the same, which is vital to financially support local infrastructure projects.
Heather Whymark, the town's director of corporate services, said the town will receive $428,770 this year from the federal government, the same amount as last year.
She said the new federal money for 2017 will go into the two-phase $2.2- million modernization and expansion of town hall, specifically to make the refurbished 35-year-old building more energy efficient. Phase 1 is expected to be completed by the end of June while Phase 2 could be finished by the end of July.
Meanwhile, Dreeshen said his Conservative Party of Canada has been pushing the Liberal government to help Alberta's Orphan Well Program, and on March 22 the federal budget identified a one-time $30-million infusion, which is hoped to remediate at least some of the estimated 1,395 orphaned wells in Alberta, including ones in Central Alberta.
"This is something we had been pushing for since last year," said Dreeshen. "If the Alberta government would have been able to see its way through we could have had a lot of our oil and gas people working in the last year and helped. At least it is there now."
Earl Dreeshen, MP for Red Deer-Mountain View riding
"There is just a continuation of out of control spending. Probably by the end of this fiscal year we will be up to $50 billion worth of deficit, and then there is another 50 (billion) planned for the two years after that."
