The Opposition were quick to voice their criticism of the budget.

 

NDP House Leader Kevin Yates is confident that the budget is not balanced.  He says that Brad Wall's government documents show, on a summary financial basis, which is the accepted accounting principal of almost every government in Canada, a $622 million deficit.

 

Yates says the Premier is saying they reduced the debt by 40%, when in reality, from his own documents, you can show a $2 billion increase.  It doesn't matter if you're not putting debt in the general revenue fund, if you're putting the debt somewhere else, and calling it something else, it's still debt.

 

Yates adds that the decision by the government to not cover chiropractic care in this year's budget is a very big mistake, and will actually cost the healthcare system more in the long run.  For the $10.4 million spent on chiropractic care, the absence of that is about three times what you spend at chiropratic care in the remainder of the medical system.  So, for $10.4 million, there are numerous studies that show it will cost $30 million from the healthcare system.