What Flaherty's budget DIDN'T do for me...

There has been much written and hyped about the 2014 budget, so here is one person's assessment of it. In a few words "smoke and mirrors"

Carless students: The hype is that “updated rules announced in yesterday’s budget remove that restriction, meaning you can have your loan even if you carry a bus pass. Finally: vehicular equality.”

Me: I’m not a student, nor (because of a handicap) can I access public transit. Moreover, the last time I renewed my automobile registration it cost be over $800 because of Ontario’s so-called ‘clean air’ cash grab.

Autism assistance: The budget includes $11.4 million to be spent on vocational training for those with autism spectrum disorders.

Me: Doesn’t apply, except as a charge to my income tax.

Cheaper cell bills when we travel: New rules put caps on what carriers can charge for roaming, and force them to be more transparent about what they’re charging, and why.

Me: My cell phone is turned off when I cross the border, and doesn’t go back on until I get home again. However, my regular cell phone charges are higher than most other jurisdictions, but I notice Flaherty didn’t address that issue (except to express his ‘serious concern’).

Price tags closer to what Americans pay: Flaherty is giving the Competition Bureau greater powers to go after American retailers who charge Canadians more than they do Americans for the same goods.

Me: The key phrase here is “is giving” (future tense), and the devil is often in the details. However, the cross border difference that Flaherty didn’t address is the exorbitant bank charges for things like ‘currency conversion’ (on top of the exchange rate) which can amount to $6 per $100, and ATM charges that add another $3.50.

More consumer protection: Many companies now charge consumers more to continue receiving paper-based bills or use in-branch bank tellers or related traditional banking services. Stronger consumer protection rules will ban these practices and ensure less tech-savvy consumers aren’t charged more in the process.

Me: I’m already an e-bill subscriber, but on the other hand my municipal government doesn’t subscribe to e-billing. So what one level of government gives, the other takes away.

Better Internet access in rural areas: The government is pumping more money - $305 million over the next five years – to expand high-speed Internet access to up to 280,000 more homes. If you live far away from the bright lights of the big city, you’ll be just as connected as you are downtown.

Me: This provision doesn’t apply to me except as another charge on my income tax. However, my complaint is the rates imposed by one of the monopolists that control the Canadian internet industry. For example, my connection rates have gone up from $48 per month to $65 in just the past couple of years. In fact, it went from $58 to $65 in the last month. However, Flaherty did nothing to address this practice.

More help for young job-seekers: The feds set an April 1st deadline to implement the $300 million Canada Job Grant Program. Senior workers in high-unemployment regions will also get $25 million to help them land a job. On the flip side, it may be harder to find jobs with Canadian small businesses after a hiring credit was eliminated.

Me: This program doesn’t apply to me except as a charge on my income tax. However, does this grant go directly to employer or to so-called ‘temp agencies’ that siphon off a large percentage of the employee’s salary?

Help for adoption-seeking families: Families trying to adopt a child will get a tax break. The tax credit will go up from $11,774 to $15,000 and will apply to all adoptions that are finalized from January 1st, 2014 forward.

Me: This give-a-way doesn’t apply to me except as a change on my income tax; but did you know there are already a dozen-or-more child benefit grants or tax credits at the federal level alone, that amount to well over $10,000 per child per year per year. There’s money in them thar kids.

Snowmobilers will go further: $10 million with be given to build new snowmobile trails and improve existing ones.

Me: Oh, joy! When people are being laid off, losing their homes, etc., what we really need is more snowmobile trails.