Posts Tagged ‘tax’
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Corporations are not people — and it’s people who pay taxes
Corporations cannot be wealthy; it’s better to think of them as a form of wealth… a large fraction of small businesses — or at least, small businesses that generate a large fraction of income in this sector — are in effect instruments used by high-earning professionals to minimize their tax burden… there’s little evidence to support the claim that governments should be giving special tax treatment for small businesses in the first place: they generally pay lower salaries, offer worse benefits and weaker employment security, and are less productive than large corporations.
Tags: economy, featured, ideology, tax
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Government underspending has left Canada with an infrastructure deficit
We don’t need more politically driven tax cuts from any political party. Anyone can cut taxes – always popular with voters – but it takes strong leadership and the ability to sell a vision to invest in crucial but less-popular initiatives such as infrastructure and defence. A major national infrastructure program that heavily involves public-private partnerships and privatizations will go a long way toward creating employment and getting Canada moving.
Tags: budget, economy, ideology, participation, pensions, privatization, standard of living, tax
Posted in Governance Debates | No Comments »
Politicians can’t shake the myth of small business
The lower the “small-business rate,” the greater the incentive for individuals to incorporate their activities to take advantage of lower rates, which is completely at variance with the job-creation thesis of those who defend low small-business rates… In tax and economic policy, there is no justification for rates being different for “small” and “large” companies. In an increasingly global world, where Canada needs more international “champions” in industry, the difference makes little sense.
Tags: economy, ideology, participation, tax
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Good for Canada: A platform to end income inequality in Canada
Seizing on the first federal election in recent history where income inequality is a hot button issue, the CCPA recently launched a platform to reduce the gap… Good for Canada… highlights the high cost of income inequality in our country by telling the personal stories of real Canadians—and gives us a way to move forward. The platform, available at GoodForCanada.ca, lays out a four-plank strategy to tackle income inequality, focusing on good jobs, a good safety net, good public programs, and progressive taxation.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, pensions, poverty, standard of living, tax
Posted in Equality Policy Context | No Comments »
Harper, the economic meddler. Who knew?
It’s debatable whether any of this largesse has made Canada’s economy more competitive or innovative. No amount of state support can compensate for a lack of vision or guts among businesses. It’s not for a lack of trying by Ottawa that innovation policies that seem to work elsewhere aren’t replicable here. The state can go only so far to substitute for the private sector’s listlessness. To wit, firms in the oil patch are reacting to tough times by cutting R&D, which is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing right now… only innovation can save them.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization, ideology, jurisdiction, standard of living, tax
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Labour should march to the new tune
… those whose jobs involve manual labour, are not thrilled by the prospect of having to wait two more years to collect OAS. But no one born before 1958 will be affected, while those born after that date will likely face a very different labour market by the time they turn 65. They’ll likely have countless more employment options than today’s seniors… elderly benefits are the largest single expense Ottawa faces, costing almost $46-billion this year and a projected $57-billion in 2019.
Tags: budget, pensions, standard of living, tax
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Harper’s aversion to government intervention in the economy is both political and personal
The Conservative government has reduced corporate taxes from 22 per cent to 15 per cent federally; has cut small business taxes; eliminated tariffs on manufacturing equipment; and, concluded a series of trade agreements. To Harper, that should be the role for government. It should not pick winners or partner with businesses to give them a leg up. He is, of course, willing to deviate from this course if political expediency demands…
Tags: economy, globalization, ideology, standard of living, tax
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Corporate tax brakes
Rate hikes don’t generate much public revenues once businesses restructure their affairs. Even in high-tax countries like the Scandinavian and Benelux countries, governments have figured out that smart policy is to avoid high taxes on capital investments. These countries tax capital less heavily than Canada today… Balanced budgets based on corporate tax increases will be ephemeral as businesses avoid high taxes in Canada to earn profits elsewhere.
Tags: budget, economy, globalization, ideology, tax
Posted in Policy Context | 1 Comment »
Trudeau is talking sense amid deficit hysteria
Like much of the rest of the world, Canada has an economy that is operating below capacity; people who need work; stores that need customers; infrastructure that needs rebuilding… Those who argue dogmatically that we need to release the economy from the “shackles” of excessive government deficit spending, irrespective of effects or context, are actually the people who are truly advocating “mindless” and irresponsible economic policy. It’s the triumph of ideology over common sense.
Tags: budget, economy, featured, ideology, standard of living, tax
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