The price of support

The NDP has released its priorities for the upcoming federal budget:

The federal NDP will release today a laundry list of measures it wants to see in the minority Harper government's March 19 budget, kicking off public negotiations over what it will take to win the party's support for the Conservative fiscal plan.

The party is warning the Tories it will oppose a reduction in capital gains taxes and further tax cuts for "large corporations."...

The NDP is calling for incentives to help low-income Canadians leave welfare and enter the work force and for more funding for postsecondary education that improves affordability of and accessibility to higher learning...

Other proposals include:
- An end to a special tax break for the oil sands that allows some firms to write off investments quickly.
- Rebates for fuel-efficient cars.
- Increases to seniors' monthly Guaranteed Income Supplement.
- Energy efficiency home retrofits for low-income families.
- A national disability income-support program.
- Accelerated recognition of foreign credentials of skilled workers.
- Funding for child care.
- Establishment of a federal minimum wage of $10 an hour.

The full text of Judy Wasylycia-Leis' letter to Jim Flaherty can be found in PDF format here. It's worth noting that the Globe and Mail's story appears to miss a significant number of important priorities listed in the actual letter: while my first reaction to the article was concern that the the set of demands might be too narrow, the letter includes most of the areas which were notable by their omission from the Globe's coverage (including health care, Aboriginal issues, foreign aid and equalization).

There's plenty to like within the NDP's requests, both from a policy and an electoral standpoint. But even more striking than the content of the letter is its apparent goal: on my reading, the list of policy priorities appears to be aimed primarily at staking out the NDP's position in advance of an election, rather than actually striking a budget deal with the Cons.

After all, the list includes some items which would could be dealt with in standalone legislation rather than the budget. In particular, a federal minimum wage isn't linked at all to government spending, and could seemingly be addressed more easily through Peggy Nash's existing private member's bill.

Meanwhile, other ideas such as a boost in Status of Women Canada funding (with a particular focus on the equality that the Cons believe to already exist) seem plainly aimed at the electorate, rather than at anything the Cons are likely to be willing to discuss. And of course the Cons aren't likely to take kindly to the NDP's rightful concern about another wave of random tax cuts.

It's still possible that Flaherty will be willing to meet enough of the NDP's terms for a deal to be struck. But it's looking far more likely that the Cons will wind up relying on the Libs' aversion to an election rather than finding common ground with the NDP. And if the Libs wind up allowing a budget to pass which doesn't meet the NDP's reasonable list of priorities to benefit Canadians at large, they'll have an awfully difficult time explaining that to voters looking for the strongest possible progressive voice in Parliament.

(h/t to Audacious Ontology.)