It is
difficult not to feel a sense of anticipation building around the forthcoming
Budget. Not just business but the public, too, are speaking fearfully about the
measures that Finance Minister Cathy Bennett may impose to return the Province
to a state of fiscal sanity.
Of course,
the words “may impose” have no legitimate place in the current budgetary
discourse; but they are there. One might ask: what does the Minister and the
Premier not understand about a $2 billion deficit, and a reluctant bond market
demanding proof the government will act?
The mere
fact that the Minister failed to follow through with the proposed HST hike, in
spite of deteriorating revenues, and having failed to offer immediate off-setting
tax hikes and spending cuts, represents a sure signal the new government was not
quite ready to govern. Indeed, Ball’s early comments suggested he might find
respite in Ottawa. Likely, by now, he has figured out partisanship doesn’t
count for much; besides, we should fix the problems we have created.
