Today on the Hill: Jim Flaherty promotes his budget, the opposition sneers

OTTAWA – Let the sales job — and the griping — begin.

Now that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has delivered his 10th budget, it’s time to sell its benefits to the masses.

Flaherty will speak about his budget today in front of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce.

The opposition parties, meantime, will gather to devour the details, and to develop their own proposals on how to change it and fight against the parts they don’t like.

Students will join in the chorus as well, discussing the budget in a conference call hosted by Jonathan Champagne of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.

Also in and around Ottawa today:

— Former Conservative cabinet minister turned banker Jim Prentice will visit the Economic Club to talk about the future of the country and Canada’s relationship with the U.S.;

— Statistics Canada releases a study from 2011 that looks at parenting and child support after separation or divorce;

— The Macdonald-Laurier Institute hosts a “soiree” with guest speakers including Industry Minister James Moore, former Commons speaker Peter Milliken and former justice minister Irwin Cotler.