Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tabled the 2012 Federal Budget on March 29, 2012. Eliminating the deficit by 2015 is a key goal and the government plans to do this by cutting spending by $1.4 billion in 2012/13 and by $3.9 billion in 2013/14 for a total of $5.3 billion. With unemployment steady at 7.5% and record household debt, property buyers and owners were looking for any glimmer of good news. The government did offer some hope.