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Alternative Federal Budget 2004: Rebuilding the Foundations

Report by CCPA

Since 1995, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released an annual Alternative Federal Budget to coincide with the federal government’s budget. The CCPA’s goal has always been to show there are alternatives to government decisions – and that a credible plan of social reinvestment exists for using huge federal government surpluses.

In part, the Alternative Federal Budget is also a public accountability exercise.
The federal government consistently underestimates the size of the surplus in order to dampen public expectations concerning the resources available for social reinvestment. According to the CCPA, major investments in health, education, housing, and income support must be made, in addition to investments in urban renewal, with a focus on municipal infrastructure. Throughout the report, the CCPA identifies many political priorities.

The CCPA states its alternatives would improve Canadian society: they would increase employment and reduce unemployment; reduce income and wealth inequality; reduce poverty, specifically for women, immigrants and Aboriginal peoples; and, create a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable social, physical, and geo-political environment.

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Policy Publication Details

Author(s):	CCPA;
Publisher:	Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives [ Visit Website ]
Year Published:	2004;	Publisher Type:	Research Institute
Publicly Available:	Yes	Research Focus:	National;
Registration Required:	No	Language:	English French
Payment Required:	No	Publication Format:	Adobe PDF

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Subjects / Categories:

Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget / 2004
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary

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Keywords / Tags:

alternative federal budget; budget surpluses; public accountability; social program spending; social reinvestment; debt repayment;