Canadians have been dragged into another federal election - the fourth since June 28, 2004.
It was abundantly clear Canada was heading to the polls this spring when opposition party leaders said they would not support the 2011 federal budget as presented by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty in the House of Commons on March 22.
Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Cathy McLeod said she was very disappointed the opposition parties thumbed their noses at what she saw as a balanced and conciliatory budget.
"I believe the budget was an excellent balance between targeted support for those who most need it and a commitment to return a balanced budget."
She noted some of the important measures in the budget were in response to concerns voiced during community meetings and through public input as well as what the opposition parties were advocating for.
These included rural health care, supporting family physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners as well as forgiving student loans, McLeod added.
"Increasing family support for seniors on Guaranteed Income Supplements (GIS) was another measure. The forest practice innovation program was really important as was the family caregivers tax credit that recognized if you have a sick spouse, child or family member, you may need a bit of additional relief.
In terms of her riding, she said the volunteer firefighter tax credit was critically important.
Meanwhile, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo New Democrat candidate Michael Crawford said the federal budget fell short of meeting the expectations of seniors and Canadians struggling with rising costs of living.
"Jack Layton put forward a very reasonable and completely achievable set of recommendations to the prime minister and it would seem [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper would rather have an election than get things done for Canadians."
Layton has proposed increases to the GIS that would lift every senior out of poverty costing the program at $700 to $800 million, Crawford, said, adding the budget set aside only $300 million.
Liberal Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo candidate Murray Todd said he believes the budget was designed to be defeated.
"We were looking for something that addressed housing, education, family health care. There were some things on family health care, but nothing like what we were proposing."
There were no changes for aboriginal education, he added.
Todd said the corporate tax cuts had to go because they are crazy.
"It's like they're walking into the bank, borrowing [billions of dollars] and walking out the door to put it into somebody else's hands. We have a $30-billion-plus deficit and we're borrowing money to give tax cuts to five per cent of the corporations in Canada."
The Liberal Party didn't like the fact the Conservative government wanted to spend $30 billion on the F-35 jets without providing the cost projections, he added.
"Then we're spending $10 billion on jail cells. There must be another way to do these things."
All agree there will be lots of debate over the proposed budget, and McLeod said if the Conservatives win the election, the budget would go ahead as it stands.