On Dec. 16 Airdrie MP Blake Richards held a public pre-budget consultation for the 2015 federal budget at the Cam Clark Ford Board Room. Though the event was publicized only one resident attended the event.
“You never know with these (public consultations), one day there could be 25 people and the next can be four,” Richards said of the low attendance at the event.
“It’s always important,” he said of public consultation on the budget. “(The federal budget) is the most significant legislature in any one year.”
He added the consultation process will be ongoing; two more public consultation events were scheduled in Banff and Cochrane on Dec. 17, Richards will hold regular office hours and said a budget survey had been sent out to every household.
“There are so many options for input, we’ll have hundereds if not thousands by the time it’s all completed,” Richards said.
He added the federal government will also collect input from the public.
“I believe one of my jobs as the local representative is to take that local feedback (to the federal level). Thats what informs my effort when I speak to the finance minister and prime minister. I bring these (local suggestions) forward,” he said.
Richards’ main message of the night was that the 2015 federal budget is expected to be balanced and a $1.9 million surplus is projected based on the finance minister’s update in October.
“When you look at the last five years since the global recession, we’re really leading the developed world in a number of respects,” Richards said.
The top three areas Canada is focusing on according to Richards is expanding trade, reducing taxes and reducing bureaucratic red tape.
A highlight in expanding trade over the last five years was opening trade with 10 countries including South Korea.
“This is important because one in five Canadian jobs depends on exports,” Richards said.
He said a big gain in tax savings for Canadians was the reduction of the GST rate from seven to five per cent in 2008.
“The GST cut has helped low and middle income families the most,” Richards said.
Richards said a big gain in eliminating red tape is the One-to-One rule, which legislates for every new regulation added that imposes an administrative burden on business, one must be removed.
“I really believe we are leading the way out of the global recession,” Richards said. “Yes, there’s some challenges out there but (the government) is facing them with a plan to benefit all Canadian families.”
The one resident at the event, Meghan Slater, said though she was “a little surprised” not more people attended the event, she found it “very informative.”
“I came here because I’m a constituant and I want to know what’s going on federally,” she said.
For more information on Richards office hours, visit blakerichards.ca.
