MP Jay AspinThe Harper government has snapped a string of seven consecutive deficit budgets.

The document tabled by Finance Minister Joe Oliver predicts a surplus of 1.4-billion dollars in the current fiscal year.

However, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair says Oliver turned red ink into black in part by pulling two-billion dollars from the government’s rainy-day fund.

MP Jay Aspin is pleased with his governments budget. He says they’ve worked awfully hard to achieve a balanced budget.

He was also pleased with incentives in the budget to grow the aerospace industry.

North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce president Jake Lacourse says there’s a couple of things in the budget that will attract the attention of small business.

As well, he says it’s nice to see the government put more dollars aside for infrastructure, even though it’s coming down the road.

Meantime, Tobin Lambie is with Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

He says the government gets a “B” for this budget.

Lambie gives Ottawa credit for the reduction of the small business tax rate. But, he says the grade is not higher because there’s not much about tax reform.

 

Written by: bob.coles@northbayradio.rogers.com (with files from The Canadian Press)