The Canadian federal budget ''’''for fiscal year 1994-1995 was presented by

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

Paul Martin Paul Edgar Philippe Martin (born August 28, 1938), also known as Paul Martin Jr., is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 21st prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006. The son o ...

in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

on 22 February 1994. It was the first federal budget under the premiership of

Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Uni ...

Background

The budget is tabled only a few months after the

1993 Canadian federal election The 1993 Canadian federal election was held on October 25, 1993, to elect members to the House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Considered to be a major political realignment, it was one of the most eventful elections in Canada's hist ...

in which the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

led by Jean Chrétien received a large majority of the seats in the House of Commons. Paul Martin, Chrétien's main rival in the 1990 Liberal Party leadership election was appointed Minister of Finance.

Taxes

Expenditures

Transfers to provinces

The budget announced the freezing of

Canada Assistance Plan The Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) (french: Régime d'assistance publique du Canada) was a financing program created in 1966 by the Pearson government. The CAP consisted of a cost-sharing arrangement between the federal government and provinces, te ...

(CAP) payments to their 1994-95 levels after March 31, 1995. Unlike the 1990 restrictions, all provinces (including those receiving equalization payments) are affected by the cap. The Reform Party (then the third party by number of seats in the House) supported reductions to the CAP while criticizing that the cutbacks are not matched by amendments to health national standards to give more freedom to provinces in adjusting the services they provide.

Legislative history

The main provisions of the budget were included in the ''Budget Implementation Act, 1994'' which was adopted in third reading by the House of Commons on and received royal assent on .Debates of the House of Commons – May 31, 1994
/ref> Votes followed party lines with the notable exception of independent Québec MP Gilles Bernier (

Beauce Beauce may refer to: * Beauce, France, a natural region in northern France * Beaucé, a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Brittany, France * Beauce, Quebec, an historical and cultural region of Canada ** Beauce (electoral district), a fed ...

) voting in favor.

External links

Budget Speech

Budget Plan

Budget in Brief

References

{{Canada federal budget Canadian budgets 1994 in Canadian law 1994 government budgets 1994 in Canadian politics