The Finance Minister who cried wolf (en francais)

This year's surplus was predicted to be $1.9 billion by Ralph Goodale. The real surplus - $9.1 billion. When it comes to partisan politics, Mr. Goodale is not above being creative with his analysis.

Why haven't the Liberals submitted their numbers to an independant organiztion like the Conference Board of Canada? I believe they offered to review your costing, what are you afraid of?

January 8, 2006
Liberals slam Tory cash plan
By MARIA BABBAGE

Similar accusations by the Liberals against the Conservative platform were made in the 2004 election campaign, although subsequent surpluses more than made up for the shortfall the Liberals had predicted.

...Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said the cost analysis of Conservative promises was drafted by Liberal campaign members and wasn't endorsed by an independent accountant.

Goodale insists that saying the Tories would overspend by at least $12.4 billion over five years is "putting the most gentle possible interpretation on the arithmetic."

The deficit could actually be far higher, he said. No one knows how much Harper would have to spend to satisfy premiers who want more cash from Ottawa to fix the so-called "fiscal imbalance" as the Tories have promised.

Goodale's first pronouncements were the result of 'in-depth' analysis by Liberal war room hacks using the Liberal's own projections. We all know how accurate they are!

Liberals wrong on the numbers
08 January 2006

OTTAWA – Paul Martin is trying to change the channel from the scandal that is enveloping his party by attacking the Conservative fiscal plan.

* Last election, Paul Martin claimed: “I know the figures. I spent nine years as minister of finance.” (Liberal Party Press Release, June 14, 2004)

* In the spring of 2004, Paul Martin predicted a surplus of $1.9 billion for fiscal 2003-04, and used that figure to claim that the Conservative 2004 election program was not affordable.

* As everyone now knows, the real surplus turned out to be $9.1 billion, and Martin’s claims about the Conservative platform were wrong.

* Martin is using the same words today as he attacks the 2006 Conservative platform: “I know these numbers,” he said. (Canadian Press, January 8, 2006)

* Martin was wrong in 2004, and he is wrong now.

Paul Martin has been consistently wrong on “knowing the numbers.”

More fear and smear.

Martin Numerically-Challenged
June 04, 2004

OTTAWA – A $27-billion platform? Hardly.

Paul Martin was finance minister for virtually the entire past decade. He has shown, year after year, a great propensity to play fast and loose with numbers. Most notably, he has chronically under-estimated federal surpluses to suit his public relations needs (remember the last budget, when he said the cupboards were bare?). Can he really be trusted to provide honest math?

2000 budget – surplus underestimated by $9.7 billion

2001 budget – surplus underestimated by $5.2 billion

2002 budget – surplus underestimated by $4 billion

2004 budget – surplus underestimated by $4 billion

Underestimating surplus to the tune of $23 billion over the last five years.

Why would anyone listen to your figures now Ralph? You have no credibility.

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