Mid-March "look-ahead" at Ottawa and Ontario

It's March 15. In a little over two weeks from now, Prime Minister Harper's government begins "facing the music" in Parliament. On April 3, Governor-General Jean will deliver the "Speech from the Throne" outlining federal government priorities. I won't rehash Conservative election slogans. So far from all the hints the new prime minister and his ministers have given, a Federal Accountability Act, a Budget reducing the GST to 6% at once, 5% later, and giving a child care tax credit of $600 for the six months starting July 1 and $1200 for the next year are for sure. Moral support for Canadian troops in Afghanistan, tougher sentences on convicted criminials having used firearms, reforms in the Federal Gun Registry, a full package of child care legislation are also in the works. Addressing the fiscal imbalance among Ottawa and the provinces and establishing a wait-time healthcare guarantee will probably come next year. In a week's time, on March 23, Ontario Finance Minister Duncan will release Ontario Budget 2006. From the hints reported in the media, if we don't get a balanced budget ahead of schedule, we should expect major announcements of government spending, and hopefully, a corporate tax cut. E.g. Spending on a potential megaproject of a subway from Downsview to Vaughn, relief funding to the City of Toronto and other cities to cover municipal budgetary shortfalls, additional funding to various school boards and local hospital integration networks.