Finance Minister Jim Flaherty (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)
"Some would have us go down the path to higher spending, higher interest payments and higher taxes, perhaps even an increase in the GST. But that approach is misguided. There is another way."
— Jim Flaherty, federal minister of finance
"With this budget, the Conservative government has begun to move in the direction that the Liberal opposition has been pushing. Under the circumstances, I don't see enough in this budget that would justify that we precipitate an election that Canadians do not want for now."
— Stephane Dion, leader, Liberal Party of Canada
"It's a budget that clearly fails the working families of Canada."
— Jack Layton, leader, new Democratic Party of Canada
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
"Disadvantage Canada, that's what this budget represents for Canada's manufacturing and exporting sectors. We were very specific in what the nation's most innovative industry needed and we received recycled ideas and pocket change at a critical time when we needed tangible solutions."
— Jay Myers, president, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
"Big problems require big solutions, and they're nowhere to be found in this budget. The funding announced today may fulfill its roll as a PR strategy but it doesn't come close to the kind of investment that our cities need to stay vibrant and competitive."
— Marc Lee, senior economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
"The announcement of $250 million over five years for the auto industry is a baby step in the right direction, but much more is needed. This money should be the first part of a much bigger long term automotive strategy, not a one-time gesture to rally voters."
— Buzz Hargrove, president, Canadian Auto Workers
"The allocation of $500 million in 2007-08, dedicated to public transit, is a major boost to future access and mobility in Canadian communities. Extending the Gas Tax Fund as a permanent measure is an excellent response to the ongoing needs for municipal infrastructure investment. This is a good news budget for transit."
— Michael Roschlau, president, Canadian Urban Transit Institute
"The forest products industry is facing the worst economic conditions it has seen in many decades, and the government's actions in this budget are not enough. In a nutshell, the action being taken in the budget by the government is not proportional to what the industry has been doing and what the situation demands."
— Avrim Lazar, president, Forest Products Association of Canada
"The mutual fund industry has long taken the stand that the federal government should help Canadians save for themselves and be less reliant on government programs in the years ahead. The [Tax-Free Savings Account] takes Canadians down that road."
— Joanne De Laurentiis, president, Investment Funds Institute of Canada
"Budget 2008 delivers good news for cities and communities. The decision to make the gas tax transfer permanent represents a critical move toward addressing the municipal fiscal imbalance and building vibrant cities and communities."
— Gord Steeves, president, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The government has taken a positive step towards improving access to post-secondary education. By implementing a national system of grants, the government has responded to a long standing call by students and their families."
— Amanda Aziz, national chair, Canadian Federation of Students.
"There was a real missed opportunity here for the federal and provincial governments to work together on the problems confronting Ontario. There was very little in this budget. It’s pretty thin gruel as I see it."
— Dwight Duncan, minister of finance, Ontario
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