May 2015

IS RAISING THE TOP TAX RATE A BAD IDEA?

Earlier this month, the Liberals released their middle-income tax package, which they intend to promote as a better alternative to the Conservative’s Family Tax Cut package in the upcoming 2015 election.

 

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OMNIBUS, OMINUS, AND ODIUS

It’s not very difficult to find words to describe how this government regards Parliament. Their record over the last several years is very clear. Words that quickly come to mind are irrelevant, bothersome, unimportant, waste of time and money. No doubt this list could be enlarged.

Nowhere is this attitude more obvious than with their use of budget omnibus bills. The Harper Government tabled its 2015 Omnibus Budget Bill (Bill C-59) on May 7th. At 153 pages, it’s a pale shadow of previous budget bills.

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INFRASTSRUCTURE SPENDING: A LOT OF TALK AN NO ACTION

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of Finance Joe Oliver successfully used up most of the projected budget surpluses with their announcements in the April budget to “put money back in the pockets of Canadians”. They have left the Opposition Parties to figure out how they would deliver their election platforms, while at the same time “committing to balanced budgets.

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DON'T FORGET JOBS AND GROWTH

The 2015 election is at serious risk of being highjacked by tax cut promises made by Prime Minister Harper during the 2011 election campaign; promises that will do absolutely nothing to strengthen economic growth and job creation.  Add to this government’s attempt to play on Canadian’s fear over terrorism.

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BANCED BUDGET LEGISLATION WOULD BE A BIG MISTAKE

 Finance Minister Joe Oliver announced in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto that the government would introduce balanced budget legislation (BBL); this would fulfill a commitment made in the September 2013 Speech from the Throne. Reaction by the media quick and most financial commentators was largely negative, and not surprisingly so, because it is a very bad idea.

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LET'S HAVE HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT HOIW WE PAY OIUR TAXES

Mr. Oliver has finally delivered his long waited budget. Conservatives are now spreading out across Canada selling their view of responsible fiscal management (i.e., deficit elimination) and lower taxes (income splitting and increased child care benefits).  The election is off and running paid for by taxpayer dollars.

The so-called “political pundits”, and the media have been quite impressed by the clever way the budget painted the Opposition Parties into a “political corner”.

 

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WE NEED A FACT CHECKER FOR THE ELECTION

 

On April 8th, Joe Oliver stood up before the Economic Club in Toronto and delivered what can only be described as one of the greatest” economic fanatasy” speeches in decades.  

 

In reading his speech, one can only conclude that Mr. Oliver, and by extension the Prime Minister, live in some kind of “parralel economic universe” quite distinct from the one most Canadians actually live in.

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