Black Community Welcomes the 2019 Federal Budget

By Neil Armstrong

Photo contributed      Nadine Spencer, President of the Black Business and Professional Association

The federal government is moving forward with a new Anti-Racism Strategy to better counter racism in Canada.

Speaking in the House of Commons in Ottawa at the tabling of his last budget before October’s federal election, Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, said with this budget the government is doubling its investments to “protect our communities from crimes motivated by intolerance and hate.”

“And in recognition of the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent, we will work with community leaders to help celebrate and raise awareness of Black Canadian communities,” he said.

The government has earmarked $45 million for the Strategy that includes $17 million in 2019-20, and $15 million and $13 million, in upcoming years. There is a dedicated $25 million over five years to projects that celebrate Black Canadian communities.

Nadine Spencer, president of the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA), says it is encouraging to see so much money allocated to the anti-racism sector, especially for the amount set aside for the Decade -- $3 million over three years.

She said the Black community will be able to access that fund to reach the goals of the UN-designated Decade.

Spencer said the area of skills training for youth is also important and she is happy to see the amount allocated specifically for the Black community.

She said this indicates that the government has an intention to “accelerate and advance youth training and to provide jobs.”

“So as the BBPA’s mandate is to enable businesses, I think that the fact that there is this fund available to businesses and for job opportunities, especially training, is very positive.”

The budget proposes to help workers gain new skills with the creation of the new Canada Training Benefit, “a benefit that will give workers money to help pay for training, provide income support during training, and, with the cooperation of the provinces and territories, offer job protection so that workers can take the time they need to keep their skills relevant and in-demand.”

The government says the budget will also prepare young Canadians for good jobs by helping make education more affordable through lowered interest rates on Canada Student Loans, making the six-month grace period interest-free after a student loan borrower leaves school, and creating up to 84,000 new student work placements per year by 2023-24. 

It noted that since 2015 hard-working Canadians have proven what has long been understood: a strong economy starts with a strong middle class.

“Nearly four years ago, Canadians chose a plan to invest in the middle class and offer real help to people working hard to join it. Investing in the middle class means investing in people—with more help for those who need it, and less for those who don't. It means building a better Canada—a stronger, more connected country—and it means better opportunities for people today, and the promise of a better future, even in a world of constant change.”

The government said Canada's economy is strong and growing, more Canadians are working, and families have more money to save or spend each month.

With Budget 2019, the government said it is continuing to invest to grow the economy for the long term, in a fiscally responsible way—ensuring that Canada's federal debt-to-GDP ratio continues on a steady downward track. 

Photo contributed    Grace Carter-Henry Lyons, a Real Estate Agent

Grace Carter-Henry Lyons, a real estate agent, welcomes the government’s proposal to make homeownership more affordable for first-time buyers “by implementing a First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, a shared equity mortgage program that would reduce the mortgage payments required to own a home; and by providing greater access to their Registered Retirement Savings Plan savings to buy a home.”

“I like it from the perspective of the 10%-5% part of it which will be helping with the building of new homes because they’ll be giving 10% when it’s a new home, and then it’s 5% when it’s a second sale home and that will lessen the mortgage loan for borrowers.” 

The government also plans to help Canadians with the cost of prescription drugs by taking steps towards a national pharmacare plan, starting with creating a new Canadian Drug Agency that could lower Canadians' drug costs by as much as $3 billion per year, developing a national formulary for prescription drugs, and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases. 

The budget also proposes to support low-income Canadian seniors who choose to stay in the workforce by enhancing the Guaranteed Income Supplement earnings exemption so that they can effectively keep more of their hard-earned income. 

The federal government wants to give all Canadians access to high-speed internet so all Canadian homes and businesses have access to 50 Mbps high-speed internet no matter where they live—including people and businesses in rural, remote and northern communities.

The budget proposes to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples through new measures to help improve the quality of life for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada and advance self-determination with investments to improve water quality; preserve, revitalize, and promote Indigenous languages; improve the quality of education and health care for Indigenous children in a culturally relevant way; and promote Indigenous entrepreneurship and business. 

“With the new investments in Budget 2019, combined with lower taxes, more money in their pockets each month and more good jobs, there is good reason for middle class Canadians to feel more confident about what the future holds for themselves and their families,” the government said.

[This story was published in the North American Weekly Gleaner, April 25-May 1, 2019.]