There were both wins and misses in this year’s federal budget according to Skeena-Bulkley Valley NDP MP Taylor Bachrach.
“These federal budgets are always a bit of a mixed bag. There are things in the budget that we support, and we fought hard for, and other things that we think lead the country in the wrong direction,” he said.
With the current plan, Ottawa’s projected deficit will be $39.8 billion for the 2024/25 fiscal year.
Bachrach said one positive from the announcement was about $1 billion towards a National School Food Program.
“Canada is the only G7 country that lacks some kind of national school food program, and this is going to ensure that over 400,000 students across the country get a nutritious meal every single day that they’re in school.”
The volunteer firefighter tax credit increase was another major announcement in the 2024 budget.
Pharmacare was the final major win for Bachrach this year.
This will be $1.5 billion for free contraceptives and diabetes medication for those who need them and will be spent over the next five years.
One area Bachrach wished got more funding was towards developing a Red Dress Alert system, which was given $1.3 million over five years.
“There is a funding commitment but it’s an extremely modest funding commitment. That’s not going to be enough to get a system up and running,” he said.
Another area he feels should have received more funding is the Canadian Disabilities Assistance Program.
“It’s really an insult to people living with disability, many of whom live in poverty,” Bachrach said.
This would be $6.1 billion invested over six years, which he said works out to $200 a month per qualifying person.
At the same time, he said this budget could do more to help assist Canadians with the growing cost of gas and groceries.
“The reality is the companies that sell these products are raking in record profit, and the government had an opportunity to bring in an excess profit tax like the one the UK brought in…”
Bachrach added revenue from this tax could have also been used towards affordability initiatives.
A link to the full budget report can be found here.