Let them eat cake
Politicians and government decision makers are financially divorced from the Canadians they’re supposed to represent. And it shows. From higher taxes to revolving lockdowns, government decisions during the pandemic have been full of pain. But that pain hasn’t been felt by those pulling the levers. Quite the opposite. While millions of their constituents struggled, members…
Under Trudeau, the federal government isn’t expected to balance the books until 2070
Balanced budgets mean less government debt for Canadian kids and grandkids to pay back, less money wasted on interest charges and fewer tax hikes. At best, the last Conservative Party leader paid lip service to balancing the budget. The next Conservative leader needs to make balancing the budget and bringing Canada back to financial sanity…
He forgot that Canadians aren’t stupid
Here’s a free tip for all Conservative Party leadership candidates: don’t break your promise to fight carbon taxes. Former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole lied to taxpayers about the carbon tax. And he paid the price. The next leader of the Official Opposition needs to hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accountable for rising tax bills.…
528,347 federal and provincial government employees received at least one pay raise during the pandemic
These days it seems there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and bigger government paycheques. Even a pandemic that sent thousands of workers to the ranks of the unemployed couldn’t stop the iron law of government wage increases. The pandemic revealed the divide between those behind the golden government gates that shield them from…
His flip-flop on a carbon tax makes that unlikely
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole should be hammering the government over the soaring cost of living. But his own carbon tax flip-flop is holding him back. O’Toole recently held a Facebook Live where he addressed one of the key concerns facing Canadian families. “In Canada, we’re already almost at five per cent [inflation], the highest rate…
Since COVID-19 touched down, Ottawa has dished out $511 billion!
When governments subsidize something, you can expect more of it. With the federal government covering the cost of keeping workers and businesses afloat during provincial lockdowns, it’s no surprise that provincial politicians are biased toward new restrictions. Since COVID-19 touched down, Ottawa has dished out $511 billion through direct subsidies, tax deferrals and low-interest loans.…
The solution to the housing crisis is to build more homes, not raise taxes
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Canadian Taxpayer Federation The federal government is using tax dollars to dream up a new way to hammer homeowners. In 2020, the online news site Blacklock’s Reporter discovered the federal government funnelling $250,000 through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to figure out how to improve housing affordability. The…
The government answer to any problem is to hammer Canadians with higher taxes
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Canadian Taxpayers Federation As we head into the third year of revolving government lockdowns, Canadians have every right to be furious. But we shouldn’t let politicians divide us. And we shouldn’t be duped into believing that we are going to tax our way out of a pandemic. “We’re looking…
A large portion of deficit spending is artificially inflating demand, and prices
Many factors influence prices, but that doesn’t mean politicians should be let off the hook for the rising cost of living. By printing new dollars, propping up consumer demand, discouraging production and raising taxes, Canadian governments have created the perfect storm for rising prices: more dollars chasing fewer goods. Since February 2020, the Bank of…
The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s data projects the feds running deficits until 2070
Sometimes it’s what people don’t say that reveals the most. And the federal government’s failure to mention the deficit or debt in the Throne Speech is all too revealing for taxpayers worried about the erosion of Canada’s national finances. For a government that is nearly doubling its entire pre-pandemic debt in six years, deficits should…
Families are getting soaked by higher prices while politicians are asleep at the wheel
The federal government is putting on a masterclass about how to increase the cost of living. It’s doing everything from raising taxes during the middle of a pandemic to massive government borrowing and money printing. Now the question is: will any politician do anything to fight inflation? The latest report from Statistics Canada shows prices…
He's right to criticize Trudeau for borrowing too much money. But he has a credibility problem
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole wants to blast Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over inflation. And the prime minister is certainly vulnerable as rising prices at the gas pump and grocery store illustrate the risks of runaway government spending. But using O’Toole’s policies to fight inflation would be like using gas to put out a fire.…
And what has it bought? Hostility
By Kevin Lacey and Franco Terrazzano Canadian Taxpayers Federation Sixty-seven billion dollars. That’s how much the federal government’s equalization scheme has cost Alberta taxpayers since its inception in 1957. This year, equalization will cost Alberta taxpayers nearly $3 billion. That means that equalization will cost an Alberta family of four about $2,600 this year on…
Referendum is exposing a deep crack in Confederation
Alberta’s referendum on equalization is more than a vote on a federal program: it’s an urgently needed conversation about a deep crack in Confederation. So far, Canada has ignored the problem and the rift has grown. Now a referendum yes vote will push federal and provincial governments to the negotiation table. So, let’s talk. All…
And once you’ve lost your credibility it’s very hard to grow it back
In politics, nothing is more important than credibility. Politicians can deliver stirring speeches and launch searing attack ads, but if they don’t tell the truth, nobody believes any of it. And, one way or another, voters will hold them accountable. After our “election about nothing,” Erin O’Toole has a serious credibility problem. Take his flip-flop…