03-29-2018, 11:28 AM
(03-29-2018, 11:22 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:(03-29-2018, 09:33 AM)JoeKW Wrote: While I agree with the general principle written above there's also the reality that the Liberals are very unlikely to win this election and they know it. It's easy to put something huge in the budget when you think you won't be around to see it through. This would be a lot more meaningful if it was in last years budget.
This budget is transparently an election platform and I don't think it was put together in good faith. It will be interesting to see what happens to it if the Liberals manage to hang on. (Fwiw, I'm all for this stuff)
While this is fair enough, I do think that it being in the budget makes it a little bit more than a "meaningless promise". The budget is a platform, but it is also a budget, and thus carries a little more weight than the platform of any other party.
The idea that they think they might lose and thus are willing to put things in the budget they wouldn't otherwise is interesting.
I agree it is not entirely meaningless. But it is still a long way from being a hard commitment. The government similarly made commitments to HWY 7 how long ago and we are still several years away from that being completed. Even if the libs win they will have ample opportunity and ability to not follow thru on this.