Conservatives Unveil Platform

The Tories' plan mirrors the March budget, but they now intend to eliminate the deficit sooner.

What a difference a federal election can make. The Conservatives announced their election platform Friday, promising to eliminate the deficit faster than they projected only two weeks ago, along with a push for tougher crime legislation and more support for families and businesses. Before the election call, the deficit had been projected to decline to $300 million in 2014-15 with a surplus of $4.2 billion in 2015-16. But now the Conservatives say the deficit will be eliminated by 2014-15 by “controlling spending and cutting waste.” Much of their platform echoes what they presented in their March 22 budget, including a tax credit for children’s arts programs and an Employment Insurance credit for small businesses.