By Andrew de Souza

Hoback responds to budget

Mar 22, 2011 | 11:05 PM

SEE RELATED: Federal Budget 2011

The federal budget was tabled earlier today with all three opposition parties signaling they would vote against it.

Despite that, the budget is good news for local residents, said Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback.

He said many of the proposed tax breaks included in the budget would directly benefit Prince Albert and surrounding communities, especially a proposed loan forgiveness for doctors and nurses who spend time in rural regions.

“The number one issue in our riding is health care — no question about it,” Hoback said.

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“The student loan forgiveness program for new rural doctors and nurses is encouraging them to practice medicine in rural Canada and smaller centers like Prince Albert, Nipawin, Carrot River and Tisdale.”

Hoback also said a very beneficial break would be the tax credit for volunteer firefighters, especially with a crew the size of the one in the Rural Municipality of Buckland.

“We have lots of guys that are first responders. This just gives them some recognition and helps them offset some personal costs that they go through to be a volunteer firefighter and that’s a positive,” he said.

Hoback defends against critics

While Hoback and the rest of the Conservative Party of Canada back the proposed budget, it was not met with the same enthusiasm from opposition parties.

All three have said they will vote against it when it comes before the House of Commons later this week with a possible election as the result.

For Hoback, their consternation is unwarranted. He says the budget’s consultation process was one of the most robust in history in terms of how many local groups were considered.

“Who can read the mind of Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff? They’ll do what they want to do,” said Hoback.

“But I sit here and wonder how do you vote against a tax break for volunteer firefighters? How do you vote against an increase in the guaranteed income supplement for seniors? How do you vote against more doctors and nurses for rural Canada? That’s what they’re going to be doing.”

Deficit dealt with the right way

A big issue cited by opposition parties is the large deficit projected by the Conservative government of more than $40 billion.

Hoback said he admits that it’s a large deficit but that it is actually smaller than originally predicted and that it is set to decrease at a strong rate without ruining the economy.

“We’re not balancing our budget on the backs of the province or anybody else,” he said.

“We’re actually doing it through increasing economic growth in Canada and through increasing the efficiency in delivering services out of the government.”

Still a chance for election

Despite Hoback’s optimism he said it’s still a tight situation on Parliament Hill that could result in the end of the current Harper Government.

“We’ll have to see what the opposition parties do for the rest of the week,” he said.

“Probably Friday, it sounds like around the hill here, will be the day that we fall if we’re going to fall.”

adesouza@panow.com