The federal government should stick to its plan to eliminate $11-billion in public spending by 2015, says former Treasury Board president Stockwell Day, despite the state of the economy, but others are calling for a wider discussion in Parliament and in Cabinet as the Canadian and global economy soften.
Mr. Day, who retired from politics prior to the May 2011 federal election, told The Hill Times last week that the Conservatives' majority status gives the government a mandate to take a unique fiscal approach to the economy, and is urging his past colleagues to stick with the government's controversial plan to eliminate $11-billion in public expenditures by 2015.
"Globally, we've got a unique opportunity here to present a very different fiscal approach," Mr. Day said referring to Canada's ability to balance its budget while the U.S. and EU continue to spiral into deeper public indebtedness.
"I hope that my former colleagues do not lose their nerve, but do what's best for the economy and best for individual economic security and stick with the plan. I'd be surprised if they don't," said Mr. Day, who was a fixture of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) Cabinet throughout five years of minority rule, during which time he served as minister of Public Safety and minister of International Trade before ending his career in the role of Treasury Board president.
Mr. Day, who retired from politics prior to the May 2011 federal election, told The Hill Times last week that the Conservatives' majority status gives the government a mandate to take a unique fiscal approach to the economy, and is urging his past colleagues to stick with the government's controversial plan to eliminate $11-billion in public expenditures by 2015.
"Globally, we've got a unique opportunity here to present a very different fiscal approach," Mr. Day said referring to Canada's ability to balance its budget while the U.S. and EU continue to spiral into deeper public indebtedness.
"I hope that my former colleagues do not lose their nerve, but do what's best for the economy and best for individual economic security and stick with the plan. I'd be surprised if they don't," said Mr. Day, who was a fixture of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) Cabinet throughout five years of minority rule, during which time he served as minister of Public Safety and minister of International Trade before ending his career in the role of Treasury Board president.