Canadian budget gets 50 percent approval

TORONTO, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Canada's pending budget released Tuesday by the minority Conservative government was met with 50 percent public approval in a poll published Wednesday.

The Angus Reid Strategies poll of 1,020 people across the country said 53 percent think the three opposition parties should pass the budget, which was unveiled Tuesday and contains income tax cuts and other anti-recessionary measures, CTV News reported.

About one in five said it should be rejected, while 28 percent said they were uncertain, the poll said.

Based on the recession that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said came faster and harder than expected, the budget would result in a deficit of $34 billion in 2009-2010, and a total $85 billion in deficit over the next five years, CTV said.

The budget was under review by Liberal opposition leader Michael Ignatieff Wednesday morning. If he rejects it, the Conservatives will lose power and the country will either have a coalition government or face another election.

The poll has a 3 percent margin of error, the polling group said.