[Advisors] Is there a potential for budget surprise?

[Garth Graham]

Here's some food for thought on the target of digital inclusion =
strategy.  I know that common sense and conventional wisdom says that =
social programs are headed for merciless budget slashing, =85 but!

> Budget cuts are about growth not austerity, Conservatives say.  SHAWN =
MCCARTHY. OTTAWA=97 =46rom Monday's Globe and Mail, March 26/12:
=
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/budget-cuts-are-about-growth-=
not-austerity-conservatives-say/article2380988/

This article predicts that the "themes" of the upcoming Federal Budget =
will be as follows:
> The government will lay out five broad themes in the budget: support =
for innovation and research; overhauling regulation for resource =
development; investing in training and opportunity; support for families =
and communities; and ensuring the long-term sustainability of major =
social programs like Old Age Security.


I would note that three of the themes - support for innovation and =
research; investing in training and opportunity; and support for =
families and communities are exactly the same as some of the themes =
shaping the pre-election "BUDGET PLAN," released JUNE 6, 2011.

Assuming that they haven't changed their political and policy thinking =
on those particular themes all that much in less than a very busy year, =
below is what I flagged as significant for TC/CAP in the previous and =
unapproved June 2011 budget.

> From: Garth Graham <garth.graham@telus.net>
> Subject: [Advisors] Budget surprise
> Date: 22 March, 2011 2:28:07 PM PDT
> To: TC Advisors <advisors@tc.ca>
>=20
> CAP LIVES!
>=20
> Take a look at Budget 2011. The Next Phase of Canada=92s Economic =
Action Plan: A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth. Tabled in the House of =
Commons By the Honourable James M. Flaherty, P.C., M.P. Minister of =
Finance. March 22, 2011 352 pages.
> http://www.budget.gc.ca/2011/plan/toc-tdm-eng.html
>=20
> In Chapter 4.3, Investing in Innovation, Education and Training, on =
page 141, it says:
>=20
> =93The Government is also renewing the Community Access Program for an =
additional year.=94
>=20
> This chapter announces specific programs, with hundreds of millions of =
dollars attached, under the heading of the digital economy strategy.  =
The CAP reference has no dollars attached, and it sort of looks like it =
hung in there as an afterthought.  But there it is!
>=20
>=20
> Then in Chapter 4.2, Supporting Families and Communities, in a section =
headed, =93Supporting Social Partnerships,=94 there=92s a statement that =
might be worth a follow up ... because of the potential to squeeze in =
something under our =93digital inclusion=94 heading.  Again, there=92s =
no dollars attached, but it says:
>=20
> =93Some groups, such as the homeless, persistently unemployed, and =
at-risk
> youth, face complex and continual social challenges and often the best
> solutions to tackling these difficult problems are found locally. All =
across
> Canada, citizens, businesses, charities and other groups, such as the =
Canadian
> Task Force on Social Finance, are working together to develop =
innovative
> ways to address local challenges.=94
>=20
> =93The Government will take steps to complement community efforts by
> encouraging the development of government/community partnerships,
> enabling communities to tackle local challenges and testing new =
approaches
> to improve performance. Details will be announced by the Minister of
> Human Resources and Skills Development over the coming months.=94 =
p.122.

If the content of those themes remains similar in the upcoming budget =
then a window of opportunity may be there to argue for program support =
in the zone of community/private partnerships and "social enterprise."

GG