Categories: Need to know

Budget to meet two key NDP demands

Tories announce new programs ahead of budget

by macleans.ca on Monday, March 21, 2011 7:11pm - 11 Comments

Ottawa has lifted the veil on two measures that will be included in Tuesday’s federal budget a day early, both of which were on the NDP’s list of demands. Along with reviving the EcoEnergy retrofit program, the budget will also include money to entice doctors and nurses to work in remote areas. Under the terms of the new federal program, doctors will be eligible for up to $40,000 in student loan forgiveness if they relocate to rural or remote areas, while nurses can receive up to $20,000 if they do the same. According to a Globe and Mail report, the budget will also include a Children’s Arts Tax Credit, a program to help Canadian Forces members find jobs in the construction industry, $50-million for the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo and $4-million for the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute. It’s still not clear, however, whether the measures will be enough to convince the NDP to support the government and avert an election.

The Globe and Mail

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  • Harvey Mushman

    Principles…or seats?

    Principles…or seats?

    What's an opposition politician to do?

    • M_A_D_world

      If these pieces are indeed what the NDP wants it would be hypocritical for them to bring down the government based on the budget.

      • Thwim

        Unless they figure they can get more after an election.

    • hosertohoosier

      So in other words, the only way to satisfy you is for Layton to unflinchingly oppose cooperation with others… never mind that an election might produce a Conservative majority, or, for that matter, a Liberal majority which would govern similarly. Here's a principle for you Mushman: compromising with others in order to get results for your constituents.

  • Out There

    I guess this means that the Conservatives aren't confident that they can win a majority – if their polling numbers looked better, they'd tell the NDP to go pound sand, ratchet up the "Bloc/Liberal/NDP coalition" rhetoric, and tell the opposition to bring it.

    • Claudia Lemire

      Or perhaps is a responsible government who knows is not a good time for an election and by the way the NDP is playing very well also, that's smart leadership!

      • Thwim

        What makes it not a good time for an election?

      • Out There

        Is Harper more responsible now than he was in 2008, when he basically forced an election – in contravention of his own fixed election date law – because he believed that he could win?

      • Mike T.

        Doubt it.

  • Jenn_

    Fortunately for the NDP, they don't have to make that choice. They can both support the budget, AND bring down the government.

  • JMM

    $40,000 is a joke to try to entice doctors to move to remote areas. To pick up and change one's entire life. That won't be enough to make a dent.

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