Union leaders in New Brunswick demanding nothing less than a 20 per cent raise over the next four years
It seems like nothing short of their weight in gold will satisfy CUPE union leaders in New Brunswick. Over the next four years, CUPE is demanding nothing less than a 20 per cent raise. This would cost New Brunswick taxpayers an extra $158 million per year once fully implemented. It would already be an unrealistic…
A $600 million gap exists between what the province currently spends and what it can afford to spend without increasing its debt load
Based on the mood in government offices in Fredericton, you would think everything is rolling along smoothly with the top down. Yet, the province’s finances are headed straight for a brick wall. According to the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer’s latest report, there’s a $600 million gap between what New Brunswick currently spends and what it…
Government maintains its sugar tax is all about keeping you healthy
What’s all about sweets, sours your wallet and leaves a bitter taste? It’s Premier Andrew Furey’s proposal for a new Pepsi tax. This tax will increase the price of soft drinks by 20 cents a litre. By this time next year, you’ll be paying 15 per cent more for a two-litre bottle of Pepsi at…
Sticking future generations with the tab isn’t a winning solution
By Franco Terrazzano and Renaud Brossard Canadian Taxpayers Federation There’s a big difference between making something affordable and playing a shell game with the costs. Unfortunately, the feds are choosing the latter with their new child-care program. The federal 2021 budget allocated $30 billion over the next five years towards a national child care program…
The government needs to get out of the way
Getting more people to start up businesses doesn't require an expensive and complex government plan. Government just needs to get out of the way. Saint John, NB Telegraph-Journal columnist David Campbell recently made a strong case for attracting more entrepreneurs to New Brunswick. As he puts it, entrepreneurship brings more and better choices for consumers…
The province should have stayed the course with its previous disciplined approach to the pandemic
By Renaud Brossard Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Kris Rondolo Generation Screwed As the vaccination campaign progresses, finance departments across the country are starting to shift their focus from mitigating COVID’s economic impacts to playing a role in its recovery. As things start to get better, governments can expect their revenues to go up and their…