Federal Budget 2011

This week the topic issue for Blue Youth is balancing the Budget. Fiscal conservatism is a key fundamental principle of the Conservative Party of Canada and Blue Youth as well. The national deficit needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible but without cutting spending to vital programs that Canadians need. The reintroduction of a deficit was with justice as the world was plunged into the worst economic despair since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Thankfully the Canadian economy was strong and managed to rebound quickly into recovery mode (and soon to be prosperity once again). The world was jealous of Canada; we were seen as an economic leader and an "economic star" by the Economist Magazine in Britain. The actions of the Prime Minister and the Conservative Party ensured Canada would remain strong.

However, now that the recovery is well in its way we need to focus on deficit reduction and eventually eliminating the public debt. The saying that no debt is good debt applies to governmental debt as well. If the public debt cannot be controlled Canada could face as serious problems as those of the USA or Britain. This will not be an issue however; the Conservatives will introduce a plan to eliminate the deficit before the next election. This year the deficit is already lower than projected and as the economic gains steam and the war in Afghanistan closes the deficit should be reduced even quicker.

Blue Youth believes the best way of eliminating the deficit is not the way the Liberals did back in the 1990s and 2000s. Huge cuts to transfers to the provinces left health care and education in trouble. Instead a strategic review of spending in all government departments is needed. If all departments cut administrative and additional spending by a mere 10% much of the deficit will be eliminated. Additionally continued economic growth, the end of the war, and the savings of no election for four years will assist. Another great way to save is to eliminate the political party vote subsidy that is pointless and wasteful.

Thankfully everything listed above is being done by the Conservatives with more clever ways of saving most likely to come.