Budget 2015: 7 reactions to the Tories' fiscal plan

As Newfoundland and Labrador Finance Minister Ross Wiseman began reading his 55-page provincial budget speech, reaction was pouring in from opposition parties, union heads and organizations that have their own ideas as to where to cut and spend.

• Budget 2015: $1.1B deficit, tax hikes, job cuts

Here's what seven opposition, union and group leaders had to say after sifting through the budget.

Earle McCurdy, Newfoundland and LabradorNDP

"The government acted during the good times, as if that would last forever, [kind of]like the grass hopper fiddling through the summerWhat this is is an election year budget, so I'd say God help us in a year's timeWhat Ido believe is when Ilook ahead at the projections four or five years ahead, quite frankly Ithink someone had fairly rose-tinted glasses on for those."

Jerry Earle, NAPE

"We're concerned about the pre-budget announcements which were very negative; 1,420 positions taken out of the public service, that has an effect no the services. It also has an effect on young people now because that's jobs that they're planningon not filling."

Dwight Ball, Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador

"What we know of the HST is that it's a job killer, it's an economic killerSo, if I had to make a choice over borrowing that extra money or increasing the HST, I would borrow more."

Richard Alexander, N.L. Employers' Council

"We're here for a spending issue not necessarily a revenue-generating issue and if taxpayers don't hold them accountable they'll be back again whatever government is in powerlooking for tax increases again."

Kim Keating, St. John's Board of Trade

"We're here to help business succeed and business succeeds when government creates an environmentthat fosters business growth. We are concerned about the tax. It's something we've cautioned the government about, we do have a softening economy right now. We do not want in any shape or form to deter consumer spending and business investment."

Mary Shortall, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour

"There's no discussion around minimum wage, there's no additional spending in childcarewhich will alleviate some ofthe problems, even the subsidy isn't increased in this budget. There's not much of amention of social housing,no money for social housing."

Churence Rogers, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador

"We were a little bit disappointed that we saw the increase on HST because, of course, that will impact the first money that we see in the initialyear of the HST rebate. However, what we're excited about is the long-term impact of this HST rebate. For us it means, over the next five to ten years, tens of millions of dollars going into the municipalcoffers."