The Yukon's premier was pleased with what he heard in Ottawa when the federal government delivered its budget Wednesday afternoon.

'I think everything we were hoping (for) is in the budget,' Premier Dennis Fentie said yesterday in an interview from Ottawa.

The premier noted the money for the Northern Strategy that the federal government announced late last year.

Other expected funding, according to Fentie, includes $70 million in extra funding for health care for the territories. As well, the Yukon will have a share in the extra health care money that is for both the provinces and the three territories.

In his budget speech, federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale also announced tax cuts for Canadians. Fentie noted that these reductions will be positive for Canadians.

Another positive area is funding for training more people to become doctors and nurse practitioners, said the premier.

Fentie is in Ottawa with Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski speaking with federal politicians about the railway and pipeline projects which would involve both the Yukon and the state.

Yukon Liberal MP Larry Bagnell was excited by his government's latest budget.

Bagnell was happy to see that the government not only kept its promises but went further. He mentioned that there is more money in the budget for the health care plans.

Bagnell said he didn't know if existing infrastructure funds the Yukon has or will be taking advantage of, would be kept in place. Goodale indicated these funds would continue, to Bagnell's delight.

The MP said he pushed the hardest in caucus for increases for funding for aboriginal Canadians.

The budget includes $735 million in new money for aboriginal communities, 'with a focus on children, youth and their families,' according to the government website.

Bagnell was also happy to see the increase in the next five years of the minimum income tax deduction to $10,000. That boost will take an estimated 800,000 Canadians off the tax rolls.

Bagnell also believes the cut in business taxes will make Yukon companies more competitive.

The government will get rid of the corporate surtax and cut the corporate income tax rate to 19 per cent from 21 per cent.

The biggest-ticket item is a $12.8-billion boost to the Canadian armed forces over the next five years.

As a member of the national defence committee, this increase both pleased and surprised the Yukon MP.

Bagnell said much of the new funding in this budget, while not directly aimed at the Yukon, can be applied to the territory.

A major part of this is the money the government has earmarked for dealing with climate change and helping reduce the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

The budget pledges $1 billion over five years to 'encourage cost-effective initiatives that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada under a new Clean Fund,' the budget documents state.

As well, the government is putting $225 million over the next five years to retrofit houses under the EnerGuide program.

Bagnell said those kinds of energy savings are even more important in the North.

The budget also promises to spend money on developing alternate sources of energy, like wind, something the Yukon is already working on.

Yukon NDP Leader Todd Hardy said this is a budget with a lot of good things in it. He credits the sway the federal NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have in a minority Parliament for producing this budget.

'It's a far better budget than in the past when the Liberals had a majority,' he said.

This was the first budget since the Liberal government was reduced to a minority after last June's election.

He was happy to see money set aside for childcare, calling this funding long overdue.

There were some downsides to the budget, however, Hardy said.

'I don't see a great amount of money being put towards the first nations people,' he said. 'The first nation people are still in many ways not given enough attention at the table for their needs.'

As well, Hardy was 'very disappointed there's no affordable housing' in the budget.

'This government has never recognized the need for shelter,' he said.

The NDP leader was also let down by the lack of money for education.

With shortages in different professions, Hardy thought Goodale would have set aside money to relieve debt pressure for students and to bolster training in the country.

Hardy said the tax cuts for individuals will be beneficial. However, they don't take effect for four years, which could be a problem.

He's not sure if the 'substantial' tax cuts to corporations will be beneficial.

Yukon Liberal Leader Pat Duncan was happy to see the chops to income taxes promised by Goodale.

'As a Canadian, I feel that's great,' she said.

The government will also increase the limit of RRSP deductions people can make on their income taxes.

Duncan also was happy with the money being set aside for childcare.

As for the North, the former Yukon premier said the various funds, most of which had already been announced, will mean an impressive amount of money for the territory.

'Overall, the amount of money and support is nothing short of phenomenal.'

She agrees with Hardy that the opposition has definitely had an impact on the budget.

'There's no question that Ralph Goodale worked with the opposition,' she said. 'It's a consensus-building budget.'