Opposition calls new provincial budget a 'smoke screen'

Opposition parties see the New Brunswick budget delivered Tuesday as a smoke screen for a bad spending habit and little in the way of job creation to show for it.

Progressive Conservative finance critic Bruce Fitch said the Liberal government talks about creating jobs and cutting the deficit, but the talk is deceptive.

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The budget projected a deficit of$192 million and a net debt of $14.4 billion bythe end of the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Finance Minister Cathy Rogers maintained the government ison track to eliminate the deficit in 2020-21 and will havea small surplus of $21 million that year.

She also said the government will spend more on education, health care and jobs, although New Brunswickers, who go to the polls in a provincial election next year,will see no new tax increases or spending cuts.

Fitch said the Liberal government is wired to spend and is incapable of saving any revenue.

"We've seen this government tax and spend over the last two years, and they are continuing the spending now."

Fitch said the Opposition will present itsofficial reply to the new provincial budget onThursdayand promised there would be some "digging down into the numbers."

NDP criticizedjob losses

RosaireL'Italien, the NDP interim leader, also criticizedthe Liberal government for priding itself on job creationin the province in 2016, when New Brunswick lost 2,300 full-time positions last year.

"On top of everything else, we are losing 280 full-time, good-paying jobs in health care because of the Gallant government," L'Italien said in a news release.

He was referring to plans by the government to privatizethe management of hospital food and cleaning services, which and CUPEhas predicted will result in the loss of 280 jobs.

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L'Italien added that the cost of living is going up but the economy is not following.

"It's amagic budget, it's a smoke budget," he said.

Government must address fiscal challenges

The People's Alliance party meanwhile called on the government to addressfiscal challenges such as the debt.

In a news release, party leader Kris Austin said the size of the debt is alarming and puts families at risk.

"Until governments get serious about ending corporate welfare, and eliminating duality, the road to balanced books will never be travelled," said Austin.