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Finance Minister Joe Ceci says budget will be a ‘shock absorber in these tough economic times’

Click to play video: 'Joe Ceci says sales tax not coming in provincial budget'
Joe Ceci says sales tax not coming in provincial budget
WATCH ABOVE: The Alberta Finance Minister dropped some hints about next week’s provincial budget. Joe Ceci told a Calgary audience not to worry about getting hit with a new provincial sales tax. Gary Bobrovitz reports. – Apr 8, 2016

 

CALGARY – Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci says the government is committed to responsibly managing tax dollars without “knee-jerk” cuts to social programs.

Looking forward to the April 14 budget, Ceci says the NDP government plans to constrain spending without compromising services.

Addressing the Canadian Club in Calgary, he said the government’s goal is to “hold budgetary increases to below population growth plus inflation levels.”

READ MORE: ‘I won’t let up. We must get to ‘yes’ on a pipeline’: Tough words for Ottawa in Notley TV address

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He reiterated many of Premier Rachel Notley’s comments in her televised address Thursday night, including the urgency of securing new pipelines and the need for the federal government to provide extended employment insurance to all regions of Alberta.

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READ MORE: How Alberta is impacted by Federal Budget 2016

Ceci said the budget will be a “shock absorber in these tough economic times” but that the government will continue to look for cost savings.

He said he is concerned by current debt levels and committed to smaller and smaller deficits in future budgets.

 

WATCH: Highlights from Joe Ceci’s speech at the Canadian Club in Calgary.

READ MORE: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley signals small business tax cut coming in April 14 budget

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