The 2017 Federal Budget is out, with a theme of "Building a Strong Middle Class".

Finance Minister Bill Morneau released his second budget in Ottawa yesterday afternoon.

The document shows the government's plan for infrastructure spending, as well as innovation, without reportedly including major tax changes.

The following points are of note from the newly released budget:

  • $28.5 billion Deficit - up from the $25.4 billion projection from the fall of 2016
  • Higher deficits for next three years before lowering down to $18.8 billion in 2021-22
  • $11.2 billion over 11 years, already budgeted, will go to a national housing strategy
  • $7 billion in Child Care over 10 years, already budgeted, for new spaces, starting 2018-19
  • $3.4 billion in new money over five years for the Indigenous community for infrastructure, health and education
  • $8.4 billion in capital spending for Defence, for equipment, pushed forward to 2035
  • New care-giving benefit up to 15 weeks, starting in 2018
  • $400 million over three years for a new venture capital catalyst initiative
  • Option to extend parental leave up to 18 months
  • GST to be collected on ride-sharing services, or 'Uber Tax'
  • 15% public transit tax credit phased out this year

However, Cypress Hills - Grasslands MP David Anderson doesn't appear to be too pleased over the Liberal's 2017 Budget - especially in regards to the residents of his constituency, and the southwest.

"When you read this document, most of it is talking about what they're going to do but there's not enough specifics in there to really be able to dig down and say 'here's what's going to happen in SW Sask as a result of this budget. From what I can see in here, there's very little for us - I think it's going to be frustrating once again for people," he said.

Anderson's frustration for a lack of specifics is a result of what he feels were well-presented Conservative budgets during Stephen Harper's term as Prime Minister.

"The frustration for us is when we were doing budgets, we were fairly specific about what we were going to be spending the money on. People could take a look at it and see and number and where it was going."

The southwest MP also noted that this year's Federal budget doesn't include anything that would help prepare people for the Federally-imposed carbon tax. The carbon tax is projected to start at a cost of $10-15 per acre for agriculture producers.

2017's Federal Budget can be viewed in its 280-page entirety here.