Alternative federal budget favours program investments
| Fact file |
| The latest alternative federal budget proposes a Northern Heritage Fund for infrastructure developments across the North's three territories. |
| The fund could serve as an economic diversification fund providing community-based economic development. |
| Half of what the federal government gets from resource revenues would fund the initiative. |
| If there were two operating diamond mines, as well as oil and gas revenues, Alternatives North estimates Ottawa's resource revenues from the NWT could be as much as $500 million a year. |
Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 02/00) - The just-released alternative federal budget places the health of Canadian families at the top of its list.
According to the 41-page document, released by Alternatives North Tuesday, Ottawa needs to go well beyond last year's increase spending on health care which would only bring funding back to 1995 levels. The first alternative budget was compiled in 1995 in response to public sector cuts.
The group's budget suggests Ottawa add should dramatically increase health-care funding over the next five years.
"This year, more than ever, we have choices," said Suzette Montreuil who represents the Diocese of Mackenzie on Alternatives North.
"There is a large surplus (which Ottawa) will likely split among tax cuts, program spending and servicing the debt," she said.
"If there wasn't a lobby saying we want increased program spending, would that spending be there?," she said.
Later this month, Martin will table the nation's budget. A surplus of $100 billion over the next five years is anticipated.
To create the alternative budget, labour, women, poverty, church and environmental groups commission about 100 economists.
"Some argue that the surplus must be spent on tax breaks," Montreuil adds.
Tax cuts favour the rich, do little or nothing for low-income earners, don't create jobs, she said. Nor do they provide a useful social safety net, she adds.
"They also leave the costs of protecting the environment to a market place which doesn't value it."
Environmentalist Chris O'Brien, among about 20 people attending the alternative budget presentation Tuesday at City Hall, said he was pleased to see this budget addresses climate change.
"We've got to cut greenhouse gas emissions, if we ruin the environment, we won't have an economy," he said.
Montreuil, as well as Rosemary Cairns, Status of Women Council executive director, Wayne Campbell, Northern Federation of Labour president, Ben McDonald, Alternatives North co-chair, and Jennifer Morin, an Ecology North board member, spoke on the alternative budget.
