Photo/LAVINA KERR CANADIAN TIRE IN ORANGEVILLE, through customer donations of $2 for Jump Start for Heart raised $4,332 making the store fourth in the standing for all Canadian Tire stores that participated in the Heart and Stroke fundraiser. Canadian Tire staff met with Heart and Stroke Foundation area manager, Sara Felske. Pictured are (from left to right): Sandra Barrett, Ms. Felske, Lowanda Stephenson, Betty Brown, Laurissa Bignell and Rossa Izzi. MP David Tilson says he is pleased with what the new federal budget, unveiled Monday by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, has for his Dufferin-Caledon riding

The former school trustee sees good news in the budget for the Upper Grand District School Board.

It proposes to remit GST paid by certain school authorities for student transportation. He said this would mean the local board would receive a $473,437.21 rebate.

"There is something for everyone, whether it be tax relief for working families, improving health care, or supporting our farmers," he said in a press release.

The Conservative government is offering a Working Families Tax Plan where families can receive a tax credit up to $2,000 per child.

The government is also allocating $612 million to support implementation of promised patient wait time guarantees, investing $400 million for a Canada Health Infoway to support development of electronic health records and $300 million for a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

Programs to assist farmers would involve a $1 billion boost across the country. This includes $600 million to kick-start contributorystyle producer savings accounts and direct payment of $400 million to producers to help with high production costs. As well, the lifetime capital gains tax exemption for farmers would increase from $500,000 to $750,000.

MP Tilson said two-thirds of the budget addresses fiscal imbalances of the provinces. Although the opposition Liberals and NDP said there was nothing in the budget for health care, education and infrastructure, he suggested all the money going toward fiscal imbalance increased the provincial governments' room to increase spending in the three fields.

"That's what that's for," he said. "It's not our jurisdiction; our jurisdiction is to try to make the transfer payments more equitable. For the life of me, I don't understand why those two parties, the Liberals and NDP, are opposing it."

He especially couldn't understand their position when the provincial Liberal Finance Minister, Greg Sorbara, had supported the budget. He quoted Mr. Sorbara as saying the "appears to make some considerable progress in addressing fairness in Ontario. It's a step forward in addressing our long-standing position that our provinces deserve to be treated fairly."

"This budget covers a wide range of people, everything from families to seniors to corporations and the environment," Mr. Tilson said Tuesday afternoon.

Noting that the environment, "is on people's minds, and we have to take steps to protect our environment," he predicted there was "more to come with plans in respect to the environment."

The government is proposing rebates up to $2,000 for fuel-efficient vehicles, a green levy that will apply to most fuel inefficient vehicles and a plan to retire older models of vehicles that are pollutants.

"Those three points are what a lot of people will be interested in with respect to, number one, the balance between protecting the economy and at the same time preserving the environment," he said.

"The green levy is designed to encourage car makers and consumers to start building more fuel-efficient alternatives. Not only are we being blackmailed by the countries that produce oil, but we have to wean ourselves off the fossil fuels, which are creating terrible emission problems in this country. So I think this is a good step forward."

He said these were important issues for the riding as many residents are concerned with the environment. People didn't want to lose their jobs, but they were concerned with global warming impacts on the environment.

With support having been promised by the Bloc Quebecois, he expects the budget to be approved, but not before a number of votes occur over the next few days on proposed amendments.