Not having information to make decisions concerning our country can be quite dangerous sometimes. Especially when it has to do with government spending and more importantly, where the government is spending.
This is caused by estimates of government spending being released before the budget. So, it's impossible to estimate the costs of the budget, the most important piece of legislation each year. The way to fix this is simply time limits. The budget sets out government spending for the year. So, it only makes sense that it should be released at the beginning of the year. While the committee suggests February 1 as a due date, I would go even further. I would set it at about mid-January. That way, it is clear at the beginning of the year what the government will do and it will be easy to estimate exactly where the money is being spent.
The other proposal, which was to give the Parliamentary Budget officer more power is also a good idea. There is never too much transparency on fiscal matters.
Read about it at the Globe and Mail.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." A Liberal-supporting, environmentalist blog. We blog according to our opinions, not those of the party or government. Free speech must win and that's why we have this blog. The views of two Montrealers and a Libertarian.
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The beginning of the fiscal year is April 1. Funding for programs goes from April 1 to March 31, and most budgets are delivered just before or after April 1.
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