Posts Tagged ‘tax’
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Finance Minister Bill Morneau vows to close ‘unfair’ tax loopholes
“When people see that the tax system is stacked against them, they can get frustrated. We need to make sure that everyone — especially including the middle class, the large group of people who don’t have access to these sort of planning methodologies — feels that the system is working for them.” … The secrecy afforded to private corporations is a central concern in the fight against tax unfairness…
Tags: crime prevention, economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, privatization, tax
Posted in Equality Delivery System | No Comments »
Basic income reform would need more taxes: OECD
Welfare reforms that would introduce public payment of an unconditional basic income to everyone of working age are worth exploring but would do little to combat poverty if not financed by extra tax, the OECD said… if existing benefit systems were abolished and the funds used to pay an unconditional, flat-rate payment for all of working age, the payout would be lower than many welfare beneficiaries currently receive.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Debates | No Comments »
Ottawa shouldn’t ignore hunger for tax fairness
… the government is well aware of the popular appeal of economic justice. The Liberals’ obsession with “the middle class and those who aspire to join it” defined their successful election campaign. Once in office, Morneau vowed to restore fairness to a tax system that has in many ways contributed to, rather than mitigated, deepening economic inequality… Yet despite Morneau’s repeated mentions of tax fairness, the budget left intact all of the most egregious loopholes, offering only a few marginal reforms.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, tax
Posted in Governance Policy Context | No Comments »
Bad policy has played a role in Canada’s housing crisis
We ought to remove existing distortions such as favourable treatment of capital gains on real estate, provincial ownership subsidies, taxpayer-guaranteed mortgages, low residential property taxes and restrictive zoning. These policies encourage businesses and individuals to focus on real estate instead of other economic activity, exacerbate price volatility and fail to improve affordability. What better time to cut back these subsidies than when the market is soaring of its own accord and does not need artificial support?
Tags: economy, featured, housing, ideology, jurisdiction, participation, tax
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The elephant in the classroom amid school closings
Our one province is blessed with four distinct school systems, divided along religious and language lines, which cut the pedagogical pie into smaller and less sustainable schools… Instead of pointless overspending, or painful streamlining, surely amalgamating school boards — on geographical rather than religious grounds — is the answer.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, jurisdiction, multiculturalism, rights, standard of living, tax
Posted in Education Debates | No Comments »
I ran a charity for years. Joe Oliver is wrong about the damage his government did
… advocating for a change in law or policy is not the same thing as political activism … at all… If a senior citizens’ charity decided to run a public campaign urging for crosswalks to be replaced with traffic lights at crossings near seniors’ homes, that would also be considered a political activity… How can charities make the world a better place if they’re not able to identify laws and policies that should be changed?
Tags: budget, featured, ideology, participation, rights, tax
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
A welcome end to charity audits
The announcement came last week in response to a panel report that recommended the audits, initiated by the Harper government, be suspended immediately. That will give the government time to make recommended administrative and legislative changes aimed at giving charities more freedom to speak out on public policy.
Tags: budget, ideology, philanthropy, tax
Posted in Inclusion Policy Context | No Comments »
Take the politics out of charity? Far better to just cancel the tax break
If I give to my preferred charity with my own money, that is entirely my affair. But if I claim a tax credit on it, I am effectively forcing you and everyone else to pay for it as well… There is nothing voluntary in my conscription of your assistance. Neither is there much of the charitable spirit in demanding to be recompensed for what ought to be given freely.
Tags: ideology, philanthropy, tax
Posted in Inclusion Debates | No Comments »
Why rich kids deserve free drugs from pharmacare
… the rich don’t get a free ride either way. They pay more than their fair share in our (still) progressive tax system, for which they derive the same benefits as everyone else under medicare… Pharmacare isn’t charity, it’s efficiency. In future, as the private sector slowly rolls up drug benefits the way it has phased out pension plans, the pressure will increase on governments to pick up the slack.
Tags: budget, disabilities, featured, Health, ideology, mental Health, participation, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Delivery System | No Comments »
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