Budget

Flaherty's budget was unsurprising. Lots and lots of tax-cuts to middle-class and upper-class Canadians, money handed over to the provinces for anything they desire, ... all in all a budget that reflects the revenue-collecting powers of the Canadian state (following the miserly Paul Martin regime) with over-generalized spending typical of a minority government situation.

Case in point: The Conservatives' tax rebate for public transit users. If people actually send in their receipts they'll get money back. Would people abandon their cars for the existing public transit networks in return for some money back at tax time? Probably not. But say that a significant number of people do elect to use public transit; do the municipal governments that pay for the services get the resources to handle the extra ridership? No.

So, a few organized people get a tax rebate and feel good. The Harper government gets a thin excuse to call itself "green," the government gives money away and doesn't spend it on a necessary service.