Among all the financial prognostications, modifications and promises of fiscal salvation, those two items tended to bookend the main coverage of the financial statement of the Conservative Government.
The prospect of an extended time on the employment lines won't really have a major impact until 2023, giving those Canadians nearing their retirement age a chance to plan accordingly, those after the 2023 date of course best start saving their pennies today for that day when we leave the workforce.
Oh wait, forget that, the penny won't be hear by then, actually it probably won't be around by the end of the year, that as the Conservatives outlined how the cost of producing the penny isn't exactly the wisest use of copper.
Canadians of course may miss the penny, but are no doubt resigned to the idea of its absence, though we imagine most of us fully expect that merchants will round up, as opposed to rounding down when it comes to tabulating our purchases.
So, unless you are a coin collector and feel that there's an upside to hoarding a collection of one cent pieces, the time is apparently nigh to start rolling your pennies and turning them into the bank.
Perhaps to use your windfall to do a little cross border shopping, that's one other item of note for your average Canadian, at least those close to the US-Canada border, the amount of goods we can bring back home duty free increased a fair bit on Thursday, as the Conservatives redrew the duties on goods allowing for more bang for the Canadian buck for the folks of Bellingham, Minot, Buffalo, Watertown, Plattsburgh and Portland, Maine to name a few of the more popular shopping destinations.
There were job cuts in this budget, but not near as many as supporters would have hoped for, or opponents feared. The CBC wasn't gutted as some thought, instead they will have to work with 10 per cent less as they bring us their brand of Canadian programming.
Opponents of the Governments environmental and industrial plans will find quarrel with the streamlining of the required reviews of those major projects, the first one up for streamlining seemingly to be the Northern Gateway debate.
And on the International front, foreign aid officials and the diplomatic corps as well as the Department of National Defence, will have to make do with less in the upcoming years.
Needless to say, the Opposition parties both found cause for concern with the Conservative agenda as delivered in Flaherty's financial blue print, Thomas Mulcair took the point on the attack lines out of the gate strangely, providing separate messages for his Quebec base and the rest of Canada.
He was followed shortly after by the Liberal's Bob Rae, both taking the time to make sure that their own party lines were delivered in the frame of the Flaherty document.
Many other items were up for review and examination after Mr. Flaherty sat down in the House of Commons, some of the divining of the Conservative plan can be found below.
National Post-- This is the terminus of Tory radicalism
National Post-- Federal budget kills the penny, cuts CBC spending
National Post-- Breaking down Canada's 2012 budget into bite-size pieces
National Post-- A grand vision of still-big government
National Post-- Budget 2012 good news for Canada's oil sands, but environmentalists cry foul
National Post-- Ottawa to toughen CMHC oversight
National Post-- CBC takes a 10% federal funding cut in Canada's 2012 budget
National Post-- Canadian penny fell victim to changing times
Globe and Mail-- Ministers tout 'modest' Tory plan to slash spending, shrink public service
Globe and Mail-- A worthy budget, lacking in vision
Globe and Mail-- Penny drops, Tory government balks
Globe and Mail-- A prudent, conservative budget from Harper and Flaherty
Globe and Mail-- Love it or hate it: Provinces react to federal budget
Globe and Mail-- From Harper's Tories, a budget that dials back the role of government
Globe and Mail-- PM delivers his vision: Less government for all
Globe and Mail-- Foreign aid, diplomacy targeted for deep cuts in federal budget
Globe and Mail-- Federal budget 2012: What you should know
Toronto Star-- Tories pinch penny, slash spending in fiscal overhaul
Toronto Star-- Budget aims to remake Canada in Stephen Harper's image
Toronto Star-- Tories kill renowned volunteer program Katimavik
Toronto Star-- Federal budget 2012: Stephen Harper's bark is worse than his bite
Toronto Star-- The bombshell budget freeze that wasn't
Toronto Star-- Jim Flaherty plays down impact of budget cuts
Toronto Sun-- Feds pull the penny
Toronto Sun-- Hardly a budget
Toronto Sun-- Tories opt for small change
Toronto Sun-- Tories trim CBC budget
Toronto Sun-- Historic changes in budget
Toronto Sun-- 'Stealth' budget cuts in defence
Vancouver Province-- Brilliant stick handling by Tories
Vancouver Sun-- B. C. Finance Minister calls it a responsible show of fiscal restraint
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