A roundup of some of the reaction following the release of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s 2014 budget:

“Canada has a total of 260,000 young people looking for a job. They would have liked to have seen something like a hiring tax credit in this budget… There’s really not much in there. “ – NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair

“What this government has given us is no plan for economic growth … My concern is that in order to grow an economy we need infrastructure spending, we need smart spending on education and training, we need smart spending to enhance trade relationships and research and innovation. What we’re not seeing is any vision or comprehensive plan.” -- Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau

“If they want to move forward with the jobs grant program,  I hope they put a focus on making sure that we prepare ourselves to take advantage of the European free trade deal that…has already been announced.”  -- Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil

“For some reason or another, (Harper) thinks everything is okay with the veterans and that certainly is not the case.”-- Retired Sgt. Ron Clark

 “Now they’ve released that we have no new programs, but we have $6 million for funeral costs for the Last Post Fund? That’s an absolute embarrassment.” -- Kate MacEachern, former soldier and veterans’ advocate

“Well it’s the Olympic year, so we gave the budget a bronze. Some good things for small firms is action on the deficit -- huge for our members. We know today’s deficits are tomorrow taxes … But they did cut the employment insurance hiring credit. And that was a bit of a surprise to us.” -- Dan Kelly, Canadian Federation of Independent Business

“We have actually been ignored in this budget. There is nothing in there that I’ve heard so far that will give consumers any pleasure … Maybe there are some items in there, but if so they’re so well hidden that we can’t find them. I can’t imagine why it would be a big thrill for us as consumers at all.” -- Bruce Cran, Consumers’ Association of Canada

“On the housing aspect, we were hoping for a long-term plan. More action in terms of the housing crisis in Canada … Concerning infrastructure, we’re still waiting for the design for these programs. The good news is they’re extending large broadband networks for rural areas of Canada.” -- Claude Dauphin, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

There was lots of online reaction as well, from Green Party Leader Elizabeth May to a union group in B.C.: