The Liberal government says it met all of its fiscal goals in Tuesday’s federal budget, including keeping the 40-billion-dollar deficit from rising, even as it introduced tens of billions of dollars in new spending. The Budget features 535-billion-dollars in spending and a 39.8-billion-dollar deficit. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says it marks the ninth deficit for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. Poilievre says his party will not support the federal budget — while N-D-P leader Jagmeet Singh says he hasn’t yet decided his party’s next move.
Premier Tim Houston and the other Atlantic Premiers have written a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Rechie Valdez, the Minister of Small Business. The letter is in regards to the billions of carbon tax rebates overdue to Canadian small and medium-sized businesses. The Atlantic Premiers are concerned about the federal government’s approach to managing carbon tax rebates for businesses in the region, recognizing the unique challenges faced by small and medium sized businesses in the region. To find a resolution that supports impacted businesses, the Premiers urged the Ministers to take immediate action to both ensure the prompt return of the overdue carbon tax revenues to businesses and to establish a transparent mechanism for annual distribution going forward.
The country’s inflation rate ticked up from 2.8 per cent in February to 2.9 per cent last month as we paid more for gasoline. Statistics Canada reports gas prices rose 4.5 per cent from a year ago, partly due to an increase in global oil prices. Shelter prices rose up 6.5 per cent, mortgage interest costs jumped 25.4 per cent and rent prices rose 8.5 per cent from last year. The Bank of Canada is looking for evidence that the recent easing in inflation will be sustained before it moves interest rates lower. Nova Scotia’s annual inflation rate stood at 3.3 percent in March.
The Nova Scotia government is asking residents to observe a moment of silence at noon on Thursday and Friday to remember the victims of Canada’s worst mass shooting. A gunman killed 22 people in the province over a two-day period in April 2020 before he was shot and killed by R-C-M-P. Flags at all provincial government buildings and institutions will be at half-mast from sunrise on April 18th to sunset on April 19th. Premier Tim Houston says those who may need emotional support on those days can call 2-1-1 to speak with a community resource navigator.
Nova Scotia Works Career Connections in New Glasgow is getting set for this year’s Pictou County Job Fair. The event is scheduled for next Wednesday, April 24th from 10am-3pm at the Pictou County Wellness Centre, and aims to help connect local job seekers and employers. Over 50 employers and service providers will be taking part and there’s no cost to attend. This year’s event also marks the first time that the exhibitors will be set up in the Sobeys Arena area of the Wellness Centre. Anyone wishing to connect with the local career centre ahead of the job fair can call the office at 902-752-6826.