Saskatchewan has mixed reviews for federal budget

Provincial leaders in Saskatchewan are reacting to the federal budget.

Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered a budget projecting a $29.4 billion deficit this year.

People who are collecting EI benefits in regions deemed to be the hardest hit by job losses will be eligible for an additional 20 weeks of benefits, up to a maximum of 70 weeks. Those extra weeks of benefits will only be available to people in 12 specific regions, while people in other regions will only be eligible for an extra five weeks of EI.

Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall is disappointed with the federal budget, in particular with the changes to EI. The changes will impact those living in the north, but not the south part of the province.

“Yes that will include the Lloydminster area, which is a big part of our oil patch and that will be helpful for those workers, but the rest of our oil patch is in the southeast and the southwest,” Wall told reporters after the budget was delivered. “They have missed a big part of Saskatchewan’s oil patch with this initiative.”

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He was also hoping for extra dollars for the province because of the fact taxpayers pay so much to equalization.

“The energy sector downturn has hit Saskatchewan, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador, and (we were told) expect some recognition of that in the budget,” Wall said. “We just haven’t seen it here, now.”

Any money Saskatchewan will receive will be on a per capita basis only.

In a news release, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce said the group is pleased to see significant investment in funding for First Nations across Canada, saying that it will help address education and employment initiatives.

The Chamber of Commerce also approved of the direct investment into infrastructure spending.

The Liberal government is deferring a campaign promise to cut the small business income tax rate from 11 per cent to 9 per cent.

The Chamber of Commerce expressed disappointment that the plan to cut taxes for small businesses has been postponed indefinitely.

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