Budget 'political hypocrisy': Cullen

The rollout of the federal government's 2015 financial plan wasn't worth the wait, according to the Opposition finance critic.

Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said nothing was gained by Finance Minister Joe Oliver pushing back Tuesday's budget announcement from February.

At the time, Oliver said it was to address effect the winter's drop in oil prices would have on the economy.

But on Tuesday, Cullen said it was merely political manoeuvring and that the budget was the same document the Conservatives would have presented two months ago.

"It's kind of like that student you have in the class who always asks for delays and extensions, but the quality of work they tend to turn in is not all that great and I think that's true in this case as well," Cullen said.

Prince George-Peace River MP Bob Zimmer touted his party's leadership on delivering the "first balanced budget since the Great Recession."

"The $1.4 billion surplus on top of the balanced budget is just the icing on the cake."

But the surplus comes at the cost of raiding the country's rainy-day fund, Cullen said, also calling the government's plan to introduce balanced budget legislation "political hypocrisy."

Under the proposed new rules, the federal government can't run a deficit unless it's responding to a recession or extraordinary measure such as war or natural disaster. If a deficit is posted outside of those circumstances, operating budgets would be frozen and minister and deputy ministers salaries would take a five-per-cent hit.

"Well the last four years have been normal years and the government didn't balance the books, ran up a $160 billion deficit. So this is hypocritical and do as we say, but we won't do the same and that's frustrating for me and others," Cullen said. "It's got stunt written all over it. It doesn't pass the credibility test because they didn't hold themselves to that same standard."

Cullen was also critical of the government's planned expansion of the Tax-Free Savings Account contribution cap to $10,000 per year as well as the income splitting program. He did say the initiatives to lower the small business tax, investment in manufacturing industry and funding for innovation were on the positive side - though originally NDP-proposed ideas.

Nothing in this budget really, outside of the small business and manufacturing to help the economy grow and it needs to grow right now because it's very anemic," Cullen said.

Zimmer disagreed with that assessment. "Under our leadership Canada has created over 1.2 million new jobs since the recession, but we live in uncertain times and the global economy remains fragile," he said. "That is Economic Action Plan 2015 will continue our government's focus on creating more jobs and growing the economy in Prince George-Peace River and across the country."

He pointed to an average family receiving $6,600 in support through benefits and lowered taxes, the tax relief offered to the liquefied natural gas industry and funding for the forestry sector and the reduction of the minimum withdrawal factors for Registered Retirement Income Funds to let seniors keep more of their savings.

Veterans are also served in the budget, with a new Retirement Income Security benefit for moderately to severely disabled veterans, expanded access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance and enhancements to the Earnings Loss Benefit for disabled part-time reservists.

"We are proud of our plan that is lowering taxes and providing benefits directly to families in Northeaster B.C. from them to reinvest in the Canadian economy," Zimmer said.