Friday, October 14, 2016
After sweeping to power in 1993 with promises of expanded social programs, the federal Liberals did a dramatic turnaround in office, deeply slashing social spending in the name of reducing the deficit.
By the late 1990s, the deficit was gone and Finance Minister Paul Martin was the toast of Bay St.
But the drastic cuts he introduced in his 1995 budget ushered in an austerity agenda of underfunded social programs and increased inequality that continues to this day.
Back then, there were few in Ottawa inner circles resisting Martin's deep spending cuts, but one strong dissenting voice came from Douglas Peters, who died last week at the age of 86.
There were few in Ottawa inner circles resisting Paul Martin's deep spending cuts as Finance Minister, but one strong dissenting voice came from Douglas Peters, who died last week at the age of 86.
