Dion and der Policy

Some policy meanderings from the Dion:

"Never before has a Canadian government done so little with so much. This budget is unfair, this budget is shortsighted, this budget is dishonest and this budget is divisive," Dion said.

He said it increases the gap between the rich and the poor, ignores the environment and does nothing for Aboriginals, students and single working mothers.

This is what we've all been waiting for. Finally a Liberal starts talking about policy. Now we can have a real debate... Here it goes.

The gap between rich and poor was definitely addressed in the budget. The government provided for millions in tax cuts that affect every single Canuck big or small, rich or poor, Liberal or Conservative, Aboriginal or yes single working mothers. It even created tax cuts geared at encouraging more people to get off the welfare rolls.

It committed significant amounts of cash to the environment - especially for Quebec. 4.5 billion is big enough a sum to be spending on something for it not to be considered "ignored." That being said I feel the sum is money down a dark hole that no one will see again.

Also they increased post-secondary education funding by %40. On that score I can actually agree with Dion. It will do nothing to help students. Increasing funding was a ploy for the party to move to the center on the debate. In reality increasing post-secondary school funding just increases the mentality in Universities in this country that students are not paying for their education and as such should be ignored. After all the university gets its cash from the state. Why should they care about students then? I've had a TA once remark that he didn't care what his students thought since he wasn't paid by them. He was paid by the government, or so he said.

In reality that money comes from students in the form of years and years of paying taxes. Quite frankly that measure will do more harm than good. Yet I highly suspect that's not what Dion meant. In reality I think Dion meant that even that amount of an increase was not good enough.