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The public has until April 19 to provide the new Conservative government with their feedback about priorities and strategies for implementing them. Visit www.fin.gc.ca/activty/consult/prebud_e.html for more information and send your suggestions and feedback to budget2006consult@fin.gc.ca

Key Consultations Issues

Without restricting other comments you make, we would appreciate your views on the following questions:

1. What would you like to see in Budget 2006 and future budgets?
2. If you propose further tax cuts - or spending increases - where should the government spend less?
3. How can the government deliver programs more efficiently and effectively?

From Wawatay News online at http://www.wawatay.on.ca

Web-based national pre-budget consultations launched

Posted by Joyce Hunter, Friday, April 7

For the first time ever, the federal government is encouraging Canadians to participate in the budget process online.

Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty has launched an online consultation process on the department’s website to give Canadians an opportunity to provide their views to the Government during the pre-budget consultation period.

"This approach opens the pre-budget consultations up to all Canadians, giving taxpayers in every corner of this vast country an opportunity to share their views," he said.

Flaherty is seeking views and advice from all Canadians on how best to implement the Government’s five priorities. Those include:

• Cleaning up government, by passing the Federal Accountability Act;
• Reducing the tax burden of Canadians, starting with a one-percentage-point cut to the goods and services tax;
• Making our streets and communities safer, by cracking down on crime and introducing mandatory minimum sentences;
• Supporting families, by providing a $1,200 per year Choice in Child Care Allowance for each child under six, and providing tax credits to employers who cover the full cost of creating child care spaces; and
• Working with the provinces to improve health care, by establishing a Patient Wait Times Guarantee.

He is also asking people to identify areas where the Government can spend less or deliver programs in a more efficient and effective way.

"I hope to gather innovative ideas not just for this year’s budget, but for future budgets," Flaherty said. "We have set priorities that are reasonable and affordable, and with help from Canadian families we will stick by them."

The Web consultation page, including a background document, can be found on the Department of Finance Canada website at www.fin.gc.ca/activty/consult_e.html.

Submissions can be made by e-mail at budget2006consult@fin.gc.ca or by fax at (613) 992-0938.

As is customary in the traditional face-to-face pre-budget consultations, views submitted via the Web will be provided to the Minister and held confidential.

The pre-budget consultation process ends April 19.