Ontario will rack up a record $14.1-billion deficit in 2009 as it commits billions to infrastructure projects and job retraining aimed at pulling the province out of a recession, provincial Finance Minister Dwight Duncan revealed on Thursday in the tabling of his $108.9-billion budget.
The fiscal plan also proposes corporate tax cuts to ease costs for struggling businesses and stimulate investment in Ontario’s sagging economy, which has shed hundreds of thousands of jobs in recent years.
The budget forecasts a deficit of $3.9 billion in the 2008-2009 fiscal year, followed by a deficit of $14.1 billion in 2009-2010. It anticipates Ontario will run deficits for the next seven years, with a proposed return to balanced books no later than the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
The province and the federal government have also agreed to harmonize the provincial sales tax and GST into a single 13 per cent sales tax by July 1, 2010, which Duncan called the “next essential step” in growing the province’s economy and improving competitiveness.
It also allocates a $3.4-billion contingency fund, from which an unspecified amount can be directed toward a bailout package for the province’s beleaguered auto industry once negotiations with automakers are completed.
You know what alarms me about Ontario’s fiscal situation? Just last summer the Canadian dollar was worth more than the American. For the first time ever we spent more to vacation in Ontario at the cottage that in my entire life! And I was completely happy to do so. Happy for Canada, happy for Ontario. But in less than nine months time the Canadian dollar has plummeted to be worth roughly 80 cents on the American buck! Call me fiscally naive but that seems really out of whack. What the heck happened?! And so quickly.
Here in the States we are up a creek with no paddle but this has been building for many years. I have to think that the Canadian economy was in a fix 9 months ago but something was over-inflated and it appeared you all were fine. Best of luck. We’ve got a long slog too so at least you are not alone. Hate to consider this but I’ve been told that as the US goes so goes Canada about 6 months later and darned if it’s not happening.
Second point. What is with the word “harmonize” when describing the fusing of the provincial sales tax and GST into a single 13 per cent sales tax? Harmonize? Really? The politicians really know how to spin.
And 13%? Oi! Even with socialized medicine as a benefit and that silly baby supplement that families get– a 13% tax? We have the highest sales tax in the United States and it’s 10.25%. Honestly, when I really start comparing the two countries I have to believe that Canada is not better off than the States. What’s next? Your infant mortality rates going up and life expectancy going down? Do you really want to follow the muddy path that the States has followed– or is it too late? I hope not. On both counts.
It is easy! From 8:30 – 9:30 local time turn off all lights and non-essential electrical appliances to support an increased awareness of environmental issues. See below for unique ways to mark Earth Hour 2009 with friends and family.
10 Ways to Mark Earth Hour
Attend local Earth Hour events or organize one.
Go outside and look at the stars.
Find a great viewing spot to see your town or city go dark at 8:30 p.m.
Take pictures and send them to Your Weather.
Go for a lantern walk through a park.
Patronize local restaurants and businesses taking part in Earth Hour.
Gather your family or friends for a candle-lit dinner.
Meet your neighbours at a street or block party.
Have an acoustic music jam.
Talk to your children about how much electricity your family uses. Brainstorm ways to reduce it.
Source: WWF-Canada
From the official video source: Official Earth Hour 2009 video. Earth Hour is on March 28th, 2009 at 8:30pm. More at http://www.earthhour.org
Canadian fighters scrambled to turn back a Russian Bear intercontinental bomber over the Arctic within 24 hours of US President Barack Obama’s visit to Ottawa last week.
The Tu-95 turboprop was approaching over the Northwest Passage but never crossed into Canadian airspace after two the interception by two Canadian CF-18 fighter jets, Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay said today.
The Canadian pilots told the Russian aircraft “to turn around, turn tail and head back to its own air space, which it did,” MacKay said.
“I’m not going to stand here and accuse the Russians of having deliberately done this during the presidential visit” on Feb. 16, MacKay said, “but it was a strong coincidence.”
Russian Bearcat Fighter Jet
Russian bombers have stepped up patrols approaching U.S. and Canadian airspace to press Moscow’s jurisdictional rights and access to the potential mineral wealth on the Arctic frontier.
On Jan. 27, two Tu-95s were intercepted and turned away from the Alaska coast.
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVER ILLINOIS* WILL TRACK TOWARD LAKE HURON TONIGHT THEN EASTWARD TO MONTREAL BY THURSDAY MORNING. RAIN IN ADVANCE OF THE LOW HAS REACHED SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO AND WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH AND EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY TO REACH THE OTTAWA VALLEY BY EVENING. FOR MOST LOCATIONS, THE RAIN WILL PERSIST FOR APPROXIMATELY 24 HOURS WITH RAINFALL TOTALS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR OR IN EXCESS OF 25 MILLIMETRES. DUE TO FROZEN GROUND AND A SATURATED SNOWPACK, THIS MEETS ENVIRONMENT CANADA’S RAINFALL WARNING THRESHOLD OF 25 MILLIMETRES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. NOTE THAT THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS GIVEN ARE RATHER GENERAL…VARIABILITY WILL EXIST BETWEEN REGIONS DUE TO LOCALIZED HEAVIER SHOWERS AND POTENTIAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE RAIN WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING, WITH MOST AREAS SEEING A BRIEF CHANGEOVER TO SNOW BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION ENDS.
Sorry for the all-caps. I thought it best to just post this then come back and fix it.
I am in the Chicago area of Illinois* and it is raining which wouldn’t be such an issue if we did not have similar circumstances to Ontario’s- this:
DUE TO FROZEN GROUND AND A SATURATED SNOWPACK combined with the rain, parts of Ontario are to expect 25 MILLIMETRES OF RAIN Wednesday into Thursday. For those that don’t “speak” metric (myself included) that is almost a foot of water–snowpack and new rain combined being predicted.
Barack Obama, joined by his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press)
The Canadian government anticipates an announced visit from U.S. President Barack Obama will come “sooner rather than later,” Canada’s foreign affairs minister told CBC News on Tuesday.
A crowd gathers on the University of Calgary campus on Tuesday to watch U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration on a large TV in the food court of the students’ centre.(Tom Spears/CBC)
Lawrence Cannon said despite the choice of George W. Bush to visit Mexico in his first official state visit, a historical precedent from John F. Kennedy onward suggests presidential visits to Canada have “always been quite close” to the inauguration date.
“The visits to Canada have been very closely aligned with the beginning of the mandate of the new president, so I think that the presumption that it will be sooner rather than later is bang on,” Cannon said in an interview from Ottawa.
Obama has already pledged his first official trip abroad will be to Ottawa. Cannon said he did not have a confirmed date for the new president’s visit, but officials from both sides of the border have been in touch.
“We expect that over the course of the next couple of days …we’ll get a better sense of how this is going to work out,” he said. “But we’re pleased that he’s coming to Canada first and foremost.”
PM, Ignatieff congratulate new president
In a statement Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered his heartfelt congratulations on behalf of all Canadians to Obama and Americans as they celebrate a “historic day with their friends around the world.”
The prime minister said he is “delighted” that the president has accepted Canada’s invitation to make this country the destination of his first international visit.
“The United States remains Canada’s most important ally, closest friend and largest trading partner and I look forward to working with President Obama and his administration as we build on this special relationship,” Harper said.
I am truly hopeful that the damage done to Canadian-American relations can be repaired in the most expeditious and mutually beneficial way.
Never in my lifetime, most of it spent as a Canadian citizen living in the United States as a legal resident, have I been aware of such frosty relations for such an extended period. Sure there have been dust ups over acid rain and free trade and these and many others should concern both the US and Canada. In the past disagreements generally were hammered out–a meet-halfway position was struck.
But from Bush’s first blunderous inaugural first visit into Mexico, effectively snubbing both Canada and long-standing protocol–and remember we are all about tradition and protocol– to the back-breaking straw–the Iraq war and Canada’s right choice in not supporting it, Canada and the United States have seen their sibling-like relationship deteriorate. Both countries know of course, each one being the other’s biggest trading partner that we couldn’t stop being allies but the Bush Administration gave Canada the cold shoulder–there was absolutely no question about that.
There is every reason to believe that Barack Obama will do what he can to repair what’s broken and to reestablish and maintain family ties.
Among many other great expectations that are presumed of President Obama, this one is most personal to me.
