Fiscal Policies In Canada

This creates a budget deficit because there is more being spent than what’s being brought it.

Over the years the Canadian government continuously tries to create multiple ways to help progress the economy. Currently the government is doing a poor job improving the economy, however, it has potential to positively develop in the future. The Canadian government is negatively influencing the economy due to the decrease in value of the Canadian dollar, lack of regulation on policies, and the current position of the business cycle in Canada. However, the Canadian government demonstrates potential improvements in the economy through the creation of job opportunities and decrease in governmental expenditure methods.

The UK coalition government started their fiscal consolidation (concentrates on reducing government deficits and debt accumulation, i.e. national debt) towards the end of 2010 when the Labour government’s fiscal stimulus package was abandoned. The first act by the newly appointed coalition government was to cut spending and to increase indirect taxes, which involved increasing the main rate of VAT from 17.5% to 20% from the beginning of 2011. However, increasing tax and reducing government spending have advantages and disadvantages.

In 2008 when the global economy took a turn for the worst Canada managed to come out on top. This is thanks to the export of natural resources and commodities. The Canadian government immediately took charge and start making budget cuts in order to have a full recovery by 2015. (D.R., 2011) Canada has a large threat in its path; its dependence on the outside world.

The fiscal policy is one form of the expansionary policy, which comes in many form, In addition to transfer payments and rebates, the two major example of expansionary fiscal policy are increasing government spending and tax cuts. The goal of an expansionary fiscal policy is to improve the growth of the economy level of a country. Also to help the government reduce unemployment, and increase consumer demand and avoid an economic collapse.

It is recommended that Canada adopt and implement a more active fiscal policy and cut interest rates to ensure the prices of commodities remain low. Low commodity prices can potentially stimulate demand over time and boost exports, benefiting the country’s economy, including its beleaguered commodities sector. At the same time, tax incentives for business and consumers to pursue alternative energy projects could further stimulate the economy and lead to strong consumer confidence in the levels of permanent income increasing over time. Buttressing short-term efforts such as cutting interest-rates with tax incentives to promote long-term growth and a shift toward a more diverse economy could help Canada address both its short-term and longer-term economic woes. Moreover, this two-tiered approach would likely generate an increase in consumer spending as the government’s approach would promote greater confidence in a more diverse Canadian economy being able to grow over time, thus providing individuals with greater spending

The economy has taken a leap downward in the past year, as it did back in 2009; this however does not translate to a stagnant or failing economy as it is theorized that these downturns are cyclical in nature and are a result of poor practices that are eventually weeded out with the economy stabilizing and growing again.

All the people in the United States are effected by the fiscal policies. Team C will address the how and why the U.S. budget deficits, budget surpluses and debt effect different individuals and institutions. There are a wide array of individuals effected by fiscal policy, which include tax payers, future Social Security and Medicaid users will be effected. The unemployed individuals and University of Phoenix students will be effected by fiscal policy. The U.S. financial reputation , an exporter, and importer, and effects of the GDP will also be covered about the effects of the U.S fiscal policy.

Many analysts state that “unless appropriate legislative action is taken, the national debt will become unsustainable, growing at a faster rate than the GDP and commanding a growing percentage of government revenues to pay the interest.” (Masters, 2012).

Deficit spending generates the creation of wealth transfers from future taxpayers to future government shareholders. In the near future our children and future generations will have a portion of their personal earned incomes moved through higher tax rates compared to those who carry Treasury notes. Government debt causes our children to loose more rights and freedom. Deficit spending is very underhanded because it causes people o believe they are gaining something for nothing. In actuality, their personal wealth is reduced and gives the illusion that their money was covered by taxation. Information involving the overall cost is not even stated in the tax bill itself. Politicians tend to support deficit spending because it rewards special-interest groups and enlarges the state’s control of its private sector (Gwartney et al. 110). Without proper laws and restraints, legislators will drive up budget deficits and spend funds excessively (Gwartney et al. 110). When the government’s allocation of money exceeds its total revenue, a budget deficit occurs.

The United States is on a fiscally unsustainable path with the national debt at $19.8 trillion as of July 2017. 2016 federal spending exceeded revenue by $552 billion and is anticipated exceeding revenue for the foreseeable future creating a strategic challenge to our domestic economy (Deliver, 2017). The 2017 federal debt is at 77 % of gross domestic product (GDP) making it the highest public debt since World War II. The 2018 federal budget estimated impact is the deficit will increase to 79.8% GDP by 2027 adding an adding $10 billion to the public debt. (Policy Basics, 2017). The Congressional Budget Office projects this deficit to continue to grow sharply increasing long-term debt to 150% GDP by 2047 unless there are changes to

Fiscal and monetary policies can lead to either higher or lower budget deficits depending on how the Federal Reserve Bank and government choose to spend the nation’s money. Fiscal policies are government policies concerning taxes and spending (Case, Fair & Oster, 2009, Pg. 95 and160). Fiscal policies may include making changes to things such as tax cuts or higher government spending, and could lead to a bigger budget deficit. For example, during a recession the government might borrow finances and invest it toward creating new jobs. This could ultimately help the future growth of the economy. “Looking at both markets simultaneously also reveals how fiscal policy affects the money market and how monetary policy affects the goods market” (Case, Fair & Oster, 2009, Pg. 219) Fiscal and monetary policies both have an affect on the economy.

This paper will argue that the Prime Minister of Canada has too much power over Canadian public policy because he or she maintains party discipline, controls Cabinet ministers, and has power over what bills are passed in Parliament. These factors determine that the Prime Minister indeed continues to control government

“The outlook for the federal budget has worsened over the past several years, during the wake of the 2007–2009 recession and slow recovery. Between 2008 and 2012, financial turmoil and a severe drop in economic activity, combined with various policies implemented in response to those conditions, sharply reduced federal revenues and increased spending.” (cbo.gov, 2014) “As a result, budget deficits rose: They totaled $5.6 trillion in those five years, and in four of the five years, they were larger relative to the size of the economy than they had been in any year since 1946. Because of the large deficits, federal debt held by the public soared, nearly doubling during the period. It is now equivalent to about 74 percent of the economy’s annual output, or gross domestic product (GDP)—a higher percentage than at any point in U.S. history except a seven-year period around World War II”. (cbo.gov, 2014)

The United States has gone through economic successes and turmoil since its independence in 1776. Some of these peaks and troughs were quite severe, but the economy tends to self-correct itself. Prior to the Great Depression, the United States had a laissez-faire approach to economic matters, including on how to balance the budget. However, once the Great Depression started, economists decided the government needed to be involved in the U.S.’s economic affairs as the unemployment rate reached 25%. The first fiscal policy to be instituted was The New Deal by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but the results were lower than hoped due to the start of the Great Depression. The New Deal was to provide relief, recovery, and reform to the nation,