Readers weigh-in on the federal budget

In April’s Peace Poll we raised the matter of the federal budget which included large spending promises for social programs, such as $10 per day childcare… but also continued planned military spending increases.

We asked PeaceQuest readers if overall, they thought Canada was on the wrong track, or the right track. Opinions have remained largely unchanged, with a majority saying that Canada is on the wrong track (58%).

Here are some of the comments written by PeaceQuest readers in our informal monthly poll.

Too much on defence, questionable bail-outs, not enough social spending (though daycare a good start).

Since the Canadian government has effectively acknowledged that the years of telling Canadians that there was no money to meet social and health needs is not true and there is money, then that money should be spent on things that Canadians actually need and will better meet their needs for security that fighter jets.

Too much for military jets and ships, and not nearly enough for the environmental emergency!

This budget has at least a semblance of government wanting to care for the people it represents!

Not nearly enough focus on climate change! Our world doesn’t need more military! What about the Guaranteed Liveable Income? That would resolve a lot of the issues that the government is dealing with piecemeal.

Our vaccination roll out is embarrassing. Why the borders were allowed to continue to be open and international travel only fuels the COVID transmission. Why the government has not shut down all non-essential work also fuels the pandemic. Many nonessential distribution centers and manufacturing industries continue to function, If they are not supplying food or drugs (medicine) Shut them down.

Many of the provinces, noteworthy are Alberta, Ontario and Quebec , who have not responded to Covid-19 strongly enough.

Why is the government planning to buy fighter jets? We do not need them, especially during an epidemic.

I am especially concerned about inadequate climate change funding. Climate is a security issue and needs to be properly funded asap.