Calling it “a plan that puts people first — that invests in Canadians and in the things that matter most to them,” federal finance minister Bill Morneau delivered the 2018 Federal Budget Tuesday afternoon on Parliament Hill.

The speech focused largely on issues that affect women, low income families, indigenous people and the environment.  Although short on many some specifics the budget promised to;

  • Create pay legislation to ensure wage equality between men and women in federally regulated sectors.
  • Extra incentives for families who share child care leave between both partners.
  • More money for child care spaces.
  • Additional funding to help women entrepreneurs.
  • An additional $1B for Revenue Canada to investigate tax evasion.
  • More money for women entering the trades and for newcomer women entering the workforce.
  • New investments to establish clean drinking water in native communities.
  • Better child and family support services for native Canadians.
  • Changes to EI to make it easier for seasonal workers to gain access to money between working seasons.

One of the budget highlights was the announcement that access to all National Parks will now be free for youths 17 and under.  

Noticeably absent from the budget was any mention of agriculture, the energy industry, veterans affairs or the carbon tax.

In response to the budget the opposition was quick to point out that when elected the federal liberals promised to present balanced budgets by 2019.  The conservatives say this latest budget will run a deficit of just over $18 billion dollars.

Watch for updates on DiscoverMooseJaw.com as we gather local reaction to the budget.