Fiscally responsible conservatives

Can someone finally declare that beast mythical? (emphasis mine) 

In its first year of power, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) government increased spending by 6.3 per cent and continued increasing until 2010, when it went down by 1.36 per cent. Between 2006 and 2010, government spending increased by $48-billion, according to the Public Accounts of Canada. In its first year the Conservative government had a $13.8-billion surplus, and in 2010 posted a $33.37-billion deficit. In total, revenues during the same period grew only 0.46 per cent.

In comparison, former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s government from 1994 to 2003 increased spending by 9.8 per cent while revenues grew 46.96 per cent. Mr. Chrétien inherited a $37.47-billion deficit when he took power. In 2003, the government posted a $9-billion surplus.

Under Paul Martin, the government increased spending 10.85 per cent in 2004, but decreased it by 0.49 per cent in 2005 while revenues continued to grow.

Folks – the harperites talk fiscal responsibility.  They talk jobs.  They talk getting rid of waste and large government.  But look at the reality:

  Conservative governments have a worse fical record than Liberal governments: they’ve been in deficit 11 out of the 14 years (or 79%) they’ve run the federal government and run deficits averaging 3.3% of the economy, compared to an average of 2.3% for the Liberals, with 8 out of 17 years running balanced budgets. 

Should just put this story on a loop

Call it Flaherty fucks up again


Last night Mr. Flaherty promised that the government was “on track” to balance the federal budget by 2015. Today, he walked away from that commitment, saying it could take longer.

But with the Cons, a good defense is always a smear offense:

Mr. Flaherty also attacked the work of Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page. Last month, Mr. Page released a report showing there was an 85% chance that the Conservative government would not meet its commitment to balance the budget by 2015.

Jesus christ, Jimbo!  go get a job with a traveling carnival!