Province Législature Session Type de discours Date du discours Locuteur Fonction du locuteur Parti politique Nouveau-Brunswick 49e 2e Discours sur le Budget 25 mars 1980 M. Fernand G. Dubé Ministre des Finances PC Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present the traditional motion of supply and the budget for 1980~8l to you, to this Legislative Assembly and to all the people of New Brunswick. This is the third time that I have had such an honour. At the outset, Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend you for the fairness and dedication that you have consistently demonstrated in presiding over the deliberations of this Assembly. I am proud to present this budget, the first of the 1980's. By virtue of good fiscal and economic planning, we have succeeded in developing a strong base from which to advance into the coming decade. Provincial finances are on a sound footing and the provincial economy is fundamentally very strong. Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to aggressively deal with the problems ahead and to assist in realising the full potential of New Brunswick's resource base, its vocational advantages and the drive and talents of the people of this province. Mr. Speaker, the budget for 1980-81 is right for the circumstances of the year ahead. That we have a budget suitable to a year of relatively slow economic growth, is testimony to the good planning and management of earlier budgets. Mr. Speaker, I would like now to outline the budget results for fiscal 1979-80. I am happy to report that the financial outcome of the 1979-80 fiscal year will be substantially better than we had foreseen at budget time last year. This I attribute in large part to economic factors. To put these financial results in context I will review briefly the main features of the New Brunswick economy in 1979. In general, the New Brunswick economy fared well last year. It is estimated that the Gross Domestic Product grew by 12.6% which adjusted for inflation yields a 3.4% real growth. This compares very favourably to the 2.9% growth registered by the Canadian economy. Much of the strength in the provincial economy in 1979 resulted from the strong demand for New Brunswick products on world markets. Exports of pulp and paper, other forest-related products, minerals and metals, petroleum and food products increased significantly during the year. Total exports were 50% higher than in 1978. As well, Mr. Speaker, consumer spending made a significant contribution to the growth of the economy last year, rising by about 12% over 1978. Finally, I would like to note the improvement in the provincial unemployment rate which averaged 11.1% in 1979, down from 12.6% in the previous year. Employment increased by 11 000 in 1979, a 4.6% rate of growth which put us ahead of all provinces except Alberta and Newfoundland. Mr. Speaker, the budget I presented last year provided for a surplus on Ordinary Account of $61.7 million, a Capital Account deficit of $153.1 million, a budgetary deficit of $91.4 million and financial requirements of $173.7 million. I am pleased to report that our latest estimates indicate a substantially better outcome than outlined in last year's budget, due mainly to increased revenues. Gross ordinary revenues are now expected to be $1438.1 million or $45.6 million higher than budget. The performance of the provincial economy was a major factor in these higher revenues. Sales taxes were $8.6 million above budget, due to higher than expected growth in consumer spending; mining income tax receipts were $9.1 million above budget, reflecting strong demand and high metal prices, and personal income tax increased by $13.6 million, $6.2 million of which was due to adjustments for earlier years. Taking into account other reV1Slons, own source revenues increased by $17.6 million over budget. Revenues from Canada are now expected to exceed the budget estimate by $29.3 million. The main factors were higher equalization payments due to higher than estimated revenues in other provinces, and positive prior year adjustments. An error in the calculation of the revenue guarantee covering the last three years of the program is expected to increase our revenue by $4 million, and additional federal compensation arose from the sales tax reduction program. Gross ordinary expenditures are now estimated to be $1323.9 million, $6.8 mi11ion lower than the budget estimate. Mr. Speaker, this is the third consecutive year that this government has held expenditures below the budgeted level. Increased expenditures in the Department of Health, notably hospital services and Medicare, and compensation for flood and storm damages were more than offset by lower debt service charges. Due to these higher revenues and lower expenditures we now expect to have an Ordinary Account surplus for 1979-80 of $114.2 million compared to the $61.7 million estimated in last spring's budget. This is by far the largest Ordinary Account surplus in the history of the province. Capital expenditures are now estimated at $192.3 million or $9.7 million less than the budget estimate. Capital recoveries are expected to be $9 million less, due to lower expenditures under the General Development Agreement. As a result, the Capital Account deficit of $152.4 million will be $0.7 million less than the budget estimate. The budgetary deficit is now estimated at $3R.2 million or $53.2 million lower than the budget estimate. Combining the budgetary deficit worth sinking fund earnings of $29 million yields a net debt increase of only $9.2 million in 1979-80 compared to $62.4 million estimated in the budget. Mr. Speaker, this is a percentage increase of 1.2% the best performance since 1973-74. The revised estimate of net loans and advances is now $32.6 million, $2.9 mi11ion below budget. Sinking fund instalments and serial redemptions are unchanged at $46.8 million. Financial requirements for 1979-80, comprised of the budgetary deficit, net loans and advances, and sinking fund instalments and serial redemptions, are now expected to be $117.6 million, $56.1 million less than outlined in last year's budget. As you will recall, Mr. Speaker, one of the main objectives of recent budget plans was to improve the province's financial flexibility. The favourable financial results of the 1979-80 fiscal year bear testimony to our success in reaching that goal. In the past year, North American bond markets have gone through periods of turmoil in which there were record-breaking declines in bond prices and increases in interest rates. The bank rate in Canada was raised frequently during the year and reached a record level of 14% before being fixed at 1/4 above the yield on 9l-day Treasury bills. The province's borrowing needs in 1979-80 were less than in previous years and below the $125 million authorized by the Loan Act. This was because of higher than budgeted revenues, improvements in cash management and a higher return on short-term investments. Borrowing during the year amounted to $103.8 million and was comprised of: $53.8 million from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Fund at interest rates ranging from 9.98% to 12.74%, and $50 million from the Alberta Heritage Savings and Trust Fund at 11.25%. The average interest rate on all issues combined was 10.63%. This year's issue to the Alberta Heritage Savings and Trust Fund marked the second time the province had borrowed from this source; the previous financing was in 1977. I welcome the decision of the government of Alberta to tie the interest rate of loans made by their Heritage Trust Fund to that which a borrower with a triple A credit rating could obtain on the public market. The government of Alberta is to be com mended for making this change in policy and I trust that the province of New Brunswick can look towards the Heritage Trust Fund as a source of financing on a regular basis. During the fiscal year, the province also guaranteed $175 million of New Brunswick Electric Power Commission bonds. The two issues included slog million interest rate of 11.25% from Alberta Heritage Savings and Trust Fund, and $75 million at an interest rate of 13.25% on the Canadian bond market in February. Mr. Speaker, I wish now to deal with federal-provincial fiscal relations. It is traditional in New Brunswick budget speeches to review the proceedings of Federal- provincial Finance Ministers' Conferences held during the year. No such conferences were held in the 1979-80 fiscal year and there is little to report concerning exchanges by the two levels of government. However, certain aspects of federal-provincial relations became a public issue and sparked a great deal of political debate in this province. I refer to Established Program Financing (EPF) and the claim that this government was misappropriating federal funds. Mr. Speaker, New Brunswick is not in contravention of any federal provincial agreement. We are not misappropriating federal funds. We are not changing our commitment to a universal, free health insurance system. In the interests of clarifying this issue, I shall first briefly review the cost-sharing arrangements that Established Programs Financing replaced. The three "established" programs Which were brought under the new EPF part of the 1977 federal provincial fiscal arrangements are: First, Hospital Insurance; second, Medicare; and third, Post-Secondary Education. Previously each of these programs was subject to a separate financial arrangement. These arrangements in each case provided for conditional grants; that is, grants based on provincial spending on specified items according to the terms of each agreement. These conditional grants posed problems for both the federal government and the provinces. Canada, in agreeing to provide grants based on what provinces spent, had no direct control over these growing components of the federal budget. Canada responded by placing ceilings and other controls on expenditures under these agreements. The provinces, on the other hand, received federal assistance only to the extent that their spending met the terms and conditions in the agreements. The result was that provincial flexibility was reduced and federal revenues were available only if the provinces had the money to cover their share of spending. The new fiscal arrangements of 1977 were designed to overcome these various problems. In an address to a First Ministers' Conference in 1976, Prime Minister Trudeau set out the five principles that would form the basis of federal financial participation in programs for health and post- secondary education. In our view, one of those principles goes to the heart of the current debate. The Prime Minister said, and I quote, "federal payments should be calculated independently of provincial program expenditures". He went on to elaborate by saying "Provinces would agree to spend these federal funds in the fields in question, giving public acknowledgement of their source, but would not have to make matching expenditures of any kind from their own resources". It should be noted that EPF "entitlements" in 1977-78 were $104.6 million; in 1978-79, $131.6 million; in 1979-80, $158.4 million; and, in 1980-81, an estimated $173.6 million. We estimate that they will be about $190 million in 1981-82. Mr. Speaker, the rate of growth of "entitlements", therefore, has dropped from about 26% in 1978- 79 to 20% in 1979-80 and will average about 9.5% for 1980-81 and the following year. Over the years in question, we budgeted for spending on health and post-secondary education independently of the rapid growth in our "entitlements" under EPF. We did so in full knowledge that such high growth rates in these "entit1ements" were transitory and that in the long run, these funds would grow more slowly than expenditures on health and post-secondary education. Now that EPF revenues are growing at less than 10% our budget policy is to continue with health and post-secondary education spending at levels dictated by service demands and overall revenues. Thus expenditures on these programs will be increasing by about 13% in 1980-81 compared with an increase of 9.6% in EPF "entitlements". I, hope it is clear that our budgeting must of necessity be based on a longer term view of revenue growth. To try to do otherwise would completely vitiate any reasonable longer term planning. Mr. Speaker, before dealing with the budget plan, I would like to summarize our expectations for the economy in the year ahead. By late 1979 it was clear that the rate of economic growth in the western industrialized nations was slowing and that inaction was becoming a problem for many countries including Canada and the United States. The real rate of growth forecast for Canada in 1980 is for only 1%, significantly lower than that realized in 1979. In this environment, Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that we expect the rate of growth in New Brunswick to be lower in 1980 than in 1979. Our forecast for 1980 is an inflation adjusted rate of growth of between 1.5% and 2.5%. This will be a higher rate of growth than for the country as a whole, largely because of the anticipated demand for our exports. Our export markets are more diversified than for Canada at large, and the main products we supply to world markets will continue in relatively short supply. Nevertheless, we expect some worsening of our unemployment rate as the labour force grows more quickly than the number of jobs available. Perhaps the most disquieting aspect of the outlook for the coming year is the persistent increase in the rate of inflation. A related phenomenon, Mr. Speaker, is the growing uneasiness in financial markets. The most obvious result is rising interest rates as lenders require larger and larger rates of return to lend money in the face of a rising inflation rate. Another aspect of this situation is the present reluctance of lenders to make loans for terms beyond five to seven years, a characteristic of North American financial markets since early February of this year. This is a completely new development in capital markets which has not yet been fully digested by the financial community, but our financial advisers have told us that they expect intermittent openings for long-term financing over the coming year. Mr. Speaker, I will now turn to the Budget Plan for 1980-81, by first outlining some of the considerations taken into account in formulating this plan. It is self-evident that the outcome of the economic forces now at work will be resolved beyond New Brunswick's borders. Our responsibility is to deal with the situation of the New Brunswick economy, since it is highly unlikely that the federal government will find the spending room to provide significant new support to our economy in 1980. As with all budgets presented by this government, the plan for 1980-81 addresses both the circumstances of the year ahead and the longer term social and economic needs of the province. Striking a budget for 1980-81 that effectively addresses both short and long term concerns was a particularly exacting endeavour. The short term economic out look, Mr. Speaker, suggests a need for a level of provincial spending sufficient to support the economy in a period of relatively slow growth; however, it is important that such an increase in spending provide significant progress toward long-term goals. Thus, Mr. Speaker, the Budget Plan for 1980-81 has the following goals: 1. To provide a fiscal stimulus to the economy and a supportive tax climate in a year of s low economic growth; 2. To respond to public concern about health user fees; 3. To strengthen and develop existing social programs and services, and 4. To improve government's support and services to industry and provide for new initiatives. I shall now outline our intentions with respect to each of these goals. 1. To provide a fiscal stimulus and supportive tax climate. One of the main objectives of recent budgets was to restore financial flexibility. The very favourable out come of 1979-80 undoubtedly confirms our success in this regard. We are, therefore now in a position to support the economy in 1980-81 intend to achieve this goal by substantially increasing the growth in spending over that of recent years. In doing so, we have given priority to the longer term benefits of increased spending as they relate to services to people and support for the business sector. At the same time, we are responding to demands for improved service levels in a number of areas. In keeping with our response to economic conditions in 1980-81, the budget provides for an increase in combined capital and ordinary spending of 13% over the amount budgeted for 1979-80. As stated in the throne speech, the $225.6 million capital spending program planned for 1980-81 is the largest in the history of the province. Included in this capital budget is $39 million for schools, $27 million for hospitals, $8 million for municipal infrastructure, and $107 million for highways and bridges. This will assist construction and related industries in a year when capital spending by the private sector is not expected to be strong. Mr. Speaker, this budget contains no tax increases. Indeed, as of today, relief from payment of the sales tax on equipment designed solely for the use of paraplegics will be provided, and purchases of repair machinery and equipment by manufacturers will no longer be subject to sales tax. This latter measure was promised in our election platform of 1978. The need to maintain the competitiveness of our industry has always been a major preoccupation of this government, as has the desirability of enabling business to plan in a favourable tax environment. This approach has undoubtedly done much to boost the growth of business in New Brunswick. The influx of new mining ventures to the province is just one example of industry's favourable response to an appropriate business environment. Mr. Speaker, in addition to a general fiscal stimulus, this budget provides for direct job creation incorporating a work experience program for youth and a direct employment program for the unemployed in general. The youth program and the general program are budgeted at $400 000 and $2 million, respectively. Because the federal government has funded a summer employment program, and because the province already provides for student summer employment in the public service, the new provincial initiatives will commence in late summer. Both the youth and the general programs will provide wage support as a means of creating employment. While funds will be available for public sector employment, major emphasis will be on creating employment in the private sector. I shall now deal with the second goal of this budget. 2. To respond to public concern about health user fees. Many provinces in Canada provide for some form of charge for health care services, either by way of a premium, fee, or arrangement whereby doctors may charge a fee over and above the standard rate that is paid by the government. In introducing user fees last year, this government was not out of step with the practice in other areas. Fees have served as a source of revenue for hospitals and have had the intended effect of restraining the growing costs of hospital services. However, large numbers of New Brunswickers have objected to these fees. Mr. Speaker, this government listens to the people and responds to public concerns. Therefore, in view of the province's improved financial situation, the government has decided to remove fees for hospital admission and emergency and outpatient services. I would like to emphasize that we all have a responsibility to use health services prudently because they are very costly. Having removed user charges, the government is therefore requesting that people keep down their demands on the health service on a voluntary basis. Before leaving this subject, Mr. Speaker, I shall reiterate the view expressed in last year's budget speech, that health costs are growing more rapidly than most other areas of government spending. These are expenditures that are very difficult to control and that are likely to continue to grow quickly over the foreseeable future. This is a national concern and we applaud the federal government's recognition of this fact and the appointment of Hon. Emmett Hall to review the Canadian health insurance system. We are confident that his findings will generate much useful public discussion in this field and hopefully offer some possible solutions to the problems posed by the health insurance system. Mr. Speaker, I shall now turn to the third goal of the budget for 1980-81. 3. To strengthen and develop social programs and services. Mr. Speaker, the financial circumstances of 1980-81 provide an opportunity to protect social programs from inflation, to strengthen existing services, and to undertake investments which will improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which these services are delivered. Approximately 20% of social development spending is for programs which directly or indirectly provide income support for a number of low income groups in our society. We are all aware that the cost of basic necessities such as food and energy have been rising more rapidly than the average of consumer prices, and that these comprise a larger than average proportion of the budgets of lower income citizens. With this in mind, we have provided funds to ensure protection against inflation for those who depend upon government programs for most, or part, of their income. Examples are, social assistance, rental subsidies to senior citizens, day care and student aid. Funds have also been provided to improve a number of services currently available to our citizens. The New Brunswick Community College has been provided with additional funds to support French language curriculum development, and to continue planning and development of new facilities and programs. In recognition of increasing demands by industry, contract training funds have been provided to enable the College to quickly respond to industrial training needs. A program to improve second language instruction will be expanded to more school districts. The special program of education for children with learning disabilities will continue to be expanded throughout the province. Mr. Speaker, funds are provided to implement new programs of study in health and physical education in the province. Three new regional libraries will be opened in 1980- 81, in Salisbury, St. Antoine and Shippagan. Special assistance will be available to organizations and individuals involved in the Year of the Handicapped Child. Operating funds will be provided for new correctional facilities to be opened in 1980-81. The probation and parole program will be expanded with the opening of a new community residential centre in Tracadie, and the establishment of a paraprofessional volunteer program to involve the community at large in the rehabilitation of offenders under probation or parole. The Community Based Services for Seniors program will be expanded from three pilot areas to all cities in the province. This program has provided more responsive, effective and efficient services to seniors in their own homes rather than institutions. Funds have been provided for a significant expansion in nursing home beds, to accommodate the growing number of people requiring such care. Mr. Speaker, investments are being made to improve cost effectiveness of social programs. Community Based Services for Seniors and the expansion of the probation and parole program emphasize greater community participation and the provision of better, lower cost services of a non institutional nature. In the long run, I believe that continued improvements in social development will be made possible by prudent financial management, by building on a solid foundation of basic social services, and by investments which increase the efficiency with which those services are delivered. 4. To improve government's support to industry. It bears repeating, Mr. Speaker, that in our economic system; the government's ability to provide services to people depends ultimately on economic activity carried on by the private sector. In provincial budgeting we are very much aware of this fact and that the resources available to government are dependent on a healthy and dynamic private sector. Our planning of government programs and the needs of our citizens over the years ahead, must similarly be accompanied by a longer term view and concern for the state of provincial industry. The business grant program which was introduced in last year's budget has now been fully implemented for the tax year 1979 and wi11 continue in l980 to offer significant benefits to small business in New Brunswick. The response of business to this program has been very good and I am pleased that we were able to implement it in one year rather than in two stages as originally planned. I would like to cite further examples of the emphasis of this budget in the economic development sphere. Mr. Speaker, $250 000 has been provided in the Department of Agriculture's Budget toward construction of a Maritime Agricultural and Trade Centre and Winter Fair facility in Moncton. This will become the permanent home of the Mari time Winter Fair and part of the Moncton Coliseum Complex. In the past, this government has been effective as a catalyst in such projects. By providing part of the initial capital in such ventures, other participants are brought in with their financial resources and a project of long term benefit results. We are very hopeful that this project will further demonstrate Moncton's attractiveness as a Maritime trade centre. In the fisheries sector, grants and forgivable loans will be expanded by $250 000 to improve the quality of fish by offering financial assistance for ice-making facilities. In addition, the monies available to the Fisheries Development Board will be increased by $1.9 million to $12 million. This budget contains $3.1 million towards construction of a new forestry complex in Fredericton; $1.2 million is budgeted for the Department of Natural Resources to begin construction of a building to house its staff and $1.94 million is included in the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission budget for a new Forest Ranger School. This complex will ultimately place federal and provincial government agencies involved with the forest resource under one roof. It will al so provide improved coordination and better government service to the forest sector. Mr. Speaker, facilities have already been provided for the training of francophone forest technicians at the Bathurst Campus of the New Brunswick Community College. The program is the responsibility of the Maritime Forest Ranger School with the administration and operational aspects being the responsibility of the New Brunswick Community College. A total of 16 students from New Brunswick were registered in January 1980. In the area of tourism, a major promotional effort in the North eastern United States will be under taken in conjunction with Atlantic Canada Tourism Program. We are confident that this effort will pay dividends to the provincial travel industry in coming years. In keeping with the general fiscal stimulus provided in this budget, the Department of Tourism will increase spending on repairs and upgrading of provincial tourist facilities. This $1.3 million expenditure will boost tourism by making our facilities more attractive to vacationers and will also provide many construction jobs over the coming months. This budget al so provides funds for new cost-shared programs under the general Development Agreement, an important vehicle for the province's economic development. The budget for 1980-81 contains funds for three entirely new initiatives under GDA. These are more oriented toward' specific projects than other sub-agreements which have had a broader sectoral orientation. The new initiatives are: firstly, a program to encourage modernization of the province is pulp and paper industry; secondly, a proposed agreement to assist in the expansion of the Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Dock facility; and thirdly, Market Square, a major commercial-government complex in downtown Saint John. An interdepartmental task force has reviewed the situation of the pulp and paper industry and made recommendations with respect to the investment requirements of the industry. A program to assist the industry in modernizing its facilities has been approved for discussion with the Department of Regional Economic Expansion. The proposals for modernizing the pulp and paper industry mills and expanding the dry dock, reflect our commitment to the basic industries of New Brunswick. This government has demonstrated its willingness to work with business concerns that are prepared to invest in our province. The fact that businessmen are prepared to invest large sums of money in New Brunswick is a vote of confidence in the future strength of our economy. We share the confidence of these investors and are hopeful that we will be signing sub-agreements with the Department of Regional Economic Expansion for these projects in the near future. Mr. Speaker, there are two other sub-agreements awaiting federal approval which are, in effect, replacements for expired agreements. These are proposals for a second forestry sub-agreement and a second industrial sub-agreement. In addition, the province has presented proposals to DREE for a new highways sub-agreement and a new tourism sub-agreement. Extensions to the Kent County sub Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I shall now summarize the main features of this budget. Including ordinary and capital expenditures and gross loans and advances, the 1980-81 budget provides for spending of $1786.9 million. Ordinary Account expenditures are budgeted at $1506.7 million, an increase of 13.2% over the amount budgeted for 1979-80. With Ordinary Account revenue of $1561.4 million, the 1980-81 budget provides for an ordinary surplus of $54.7 million. Financial requirements of this budget amount to $194.8 million. Because of the favourable outcome of 1979-80, we have $25 million in cash on hand to apply against financial requirements for 1980- 81; therefore, the borrowing required by this budget will be around $170 million. Past budgets of this government have recognized the importance of maintaining a sufficient degree of fiscal and financial manoeuvrability so that we can introduce appropriate policies in periods of slow economic and revenue growth. Our success in doing this has given the government the necessary latitude in preparing the 1980-81 budget. This budget is right for the circumstances of the fiscal year and reflects the policies of a government that listens to the people agreement and the planning sub-agreement have al ready been accepted by DREE. We are hopeful that the federal government will, for the first time, sign a fisheries sub-agreement with New Brunswick and responds accordingly. I am very proud to present it to this House.