PEI:
Some Islanders mistakenly identify small public spending reductions with austerity measures. European countries like Greece and Portugal have genuinely experienced austere conditions, cutting their budgets by a quarter after the Great Recession.
In contrast, P.E.I.’s government spends far more money that it did a generation ago. While recent years have seen a small decline in program spending, these pale in comparison with jurisdictions undergoing true austerity.
Compared with 1980 levels, per person spending by P.E.I.’s provincial government has gone up 61 percent.
When debating the province’s fiscal situation, we shouldn’t indulge in exaggeration: bringing spending down to reasonable levels is about living within our means, not austerity.
New Brunswick:
Some New Brunswickers mistakenly identify small public spending reductions with austerity measures. European countries like Greece and Portugal have genuinely experienced austere conditions, cutting their budgets by a quarter after the Great Recession.
In contrast, New Brunswick’s government has continuously increased program spending, even after the financial crisis. Our greatest period of restraint in the past generation was in 2000, and those program cuts lasted for only one year.
Compared with 1980 levels, per person spending in New Brunswick has gone up 89 percent.
When debating the province’s fiscal situation, we shouldn’t indulge in exaggeration: bringing spending down to reasonable levels is about living within our means, not austerity.
Nova Scotia:
Some Nova Scotians mistakenly identify small public spending reductions with austerity measures. European countries like Greece and Portugal have genuinely experienced austere conditions, cutting their budgets by a quarter after the Great Recession.
In contrast, Nova Scotia’s government has continuously increased program spending, even after the financial crisis. Our greatest period of restraint in the past generation was in 1993, and those small program cuts lasted for only one year.
Newfoundland:
Some Newfoundlanders and Labradoreans mistakenly identify government spending reductions with austerity measures. European countries, like Greece and Portugal, have genuinely experienced austere conditions, cutting their budgets by a quarter after the Great Recession.
In contrast, Newfoundland and Labrador’s government spends far more money that it did a generation ago. Volatile petroleum revenues fuelled big spending for years. Now that oil prices have collapsed, such spending is no longer affordable.