Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

$720-million of programs and operations on chopping block this fiscal year

The cuts are buried in 519 pages of main spending estimates Treasury Board President Tony Clement tabled and are among a total of $10.4-billion in spending reductions, most of which are a reflection of recession-fighting infrastructure programs coming to an end. 'Where’s the plan?' asks NDP MP Peggy Nash.

PARLIAMENT HILL—The Harper government has targeted $720-million worth of program and operating cuts over the next year for a range of areas that include sensitive agencies such as the federal nuclear safety watchdog, the public health agency, another agency that tracks hazardous materials and an as yet unexplained 20 per-cent reduction in the budget for Environment Canada.

The cuts are buried in 519 pages of main spending estimates Treasury Board President Tony Clement (Muskoka-Parry Sound, Ont.) tabled along with the federal budget and are among a total of $10.4-billion in spending reductions, most of which are a reflection of recession-fighting infrastructure programs coming to an end.

The secretariat that supports the Treasury Board Cabinet Committee provided The Hill Times with a breakout summary of the total reduction in spending due to program cuts or reductions, separate from the spending reductions that will be due to the lapse of infrastructure programs.

The figure prompted opposition MPs on Tuesday to renew calls on the government to provide more detail on the spending cuts it has already set for the coming fiscal year—as well as $4-billion in annual cuts that were promised in the budget.

Full Article
Source: The Hill Times 

No comments:

Post a Comment