[Advisors] Is there a potential for budget surprise?

[Marita Moll]

Thanks for this shot of optimism.  It is much=20
appreciated in the current climate of gloom=20
around the budget.  It would take some stars to=20
align for this to come out in our favour.  But=20
maybe our strange meeting with the InCan policy=20
advisor back in early December, which would have=20
been prime budget brainstorming time, set some=20
wheels in motion, aligning CAP with some of the=20
community commitments they made in 2011.

Well, we've still got a couple of days to dream.......

Marita

At 04:48 PM 26/03/2012, Garth Graham wrote:
>Here's some food for thought on the target of=20
>digital inclusion strategy.  I know that common=20
>sense and conventional wisdom says that social=20
>programs are headed for merciless budget slashing, =85 but!
>
> > Budget cuts are about growth not austerity,=20
> Conservatives say.  SHAWN MCCARTHY. OTTAWA=97=20
>  From Monday's Globe and Mail, March 26/12:
>http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/budget-cuts-are-about-growth-n=
ot-austerity-conservatives-say/article2380988/
>
>This article predicts that the "themes" of the=20
>upcoming Federal Budget will be as follows:
> > The government will lay out five broad themes=20
> in the budget: support for innovation and=20
> research; overhauling regulation for resource=20
> development; investing in training and=20
> opportunity; support for families and=20
> communities; and ensuring the long-term=20
> sustainability of major social programs like Old Age Security.
>
>
>I would note that three of the themes - support=20
>for innovation and research; investing in=20
>training and opportunity; and support for=20
>families and communities are exactly the same as=20
>some of the themes shaping the pre-election=20
>"BUDGET PLAN," released JUNE 6, 2011.
>
>Assuming that they haven't changed their=20
>political and policy thinking on those=20
>particular themes all that much in less than a=20
>very busy year, below is what I flagged as=20
>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>
> >
> > CAP LIVES!
> >
> > Take a look at Budget 2011. The Next Phase of=20
> Canada=92s Economic Action Plan: A Low-Tax Plan=20
> for Jobs and Growth. Tabled in the House of=20
> Commons By the Honourable James M. Flaherty,=20
> P.C., M.P. Minister of Finance. March 22, 2011 352 pages.
> > http://www.budget.gc.ca/2011/plan/toc-tdm-eng.html
> >
> > In Chapter 4.3, Investing in Innovation,=20
> Education and Training, on page 141, it says:
> >
> > =93The Government is also renewing the=20
> Community Access Program for an additional year.=94
> >
> > This chapter announces specific programs,=20
> with hundreds of millions of dollars attached,=20
> under the heading of the digital economy=20
> strategy.  The CAP reference has no dollars=20
> attached, and it sort of looks like it hung in=20
> there as an afterthought.  But there it is!
> >
> >
> > Then in Chapter 4.2, Supporting Families and=20
> Communities, in a section headed, =93Supporting=20
> Social Partnerships,=94 there=92s a statement that=20
> might be worth a follow up ... because of the=20
> potential to squeeze in something under our=20
> =93digital inclusion=94 heading.  Again, there=92s no dollars attached,=
 but it says:
> >
> > =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=20
> problems are found locally. All across
> > Canada, citizens, businesses, charities and=20
> other groups, such as the Canadian
> > Task Force on Social Finance, are working together to develop innovative
> > ways to address local challenges.=94
> >
> > =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=20
>in the upcoming budget then a window of=20
>opportunity may be there to argue for program=20
>support in the zone of community/private partnerships and "social=
 enterprise."
>
>GG
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Advisors mailing list
>Advisors@tc.ca
>http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors