FELDSTED: Governments continue to spend irresponsibly, driven by a fear that reduced spending will result in a loss of votes and political power

Most Canadians are unhappy with their salaries, survey finds. Research conducted on behalf of Indeed Canada says more than half plan to ask for a raise in 2019

Brandie Weikle ~~ CBC News ~~ Mar 09, 2019

Most Canadians are unhappy with their salaries and more than half plan to ask for a raise in 2019, a new survey has found. Conducted by Censuswide on behalf of job site Indeed Canada, the research found that only 13 per cent of Canadian workers surveyed are comfortable with their current rate of pay. That's down from 17 per cent from when Indeed commissioned the same survey one year ago.

"As prices increase and the cost of living — especially housing in major city centres — goes up, I think we can attribute it to that."

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A major factor this survey ignores, is the ever-increasing tax burden that is eroding disposable income. We face increasing federal taxes, municipal taxes, provincial taxes, school taxes, various levies and fees for service.

Costs increase while services diminish.

Governments are posting deficits year after year, increasing the public debt while fretting over rising levels of consumer debt.

They can’t have it both ways.

Hidden in every major city, provincial and federal budget are ‘slush funds’ used to grease squeaky wheels and buy votes. Also hidden in budgets are funds for donations to relief efforts, and other ‘humanitarian’ causes, all lumped together as foreign aid. Governments aren’t really aiming to help people ‘over there’ as much as building brownie points with immigrant’s resident here.

It is ridiculous for the City of __ X Y Z __ in the Province of __ A B C __ to announce it is sending $ _ Millions __ to the relief effort in __ pick anywhere in the world__.  

We have a federal Foreign Affairs office and a couple of agencies doling out foreign aid. We do not need cities and provinces getting into the act. They are pandering to ethnic voters at our expense.

We should have a strict rule that if the federal (or any other) government is inclined to sent cash to Botswana or wherever else, they can pass the hat among the themselves and forward the proceeds collected ... but they cannot reach into my pocket to send funds overseas.

I have a right to choose the causes and charities that I support and the amount I will contribute.

The Fraser Institute study on Canada’s Rising Personal Tax Rates and Falling Tax Competitiveness is a sobering look at how highly we are taxed.

From the study:

... Canadian governments have put the country in this uncompetitive position in part to raise more revenue as they grapple with persistent deficits and mounting debt. However, the tax increases are unlikely to raise as much revenue as governments expect since taxpayers—particularly upper-income earners—tend to change their behaviour in response to higher tax rates in ways that reduce the amount of tax they might pay. Federal and provincial governments would do well to consider reversing the trend towards higher marginal tax rates on upper-income earners, and lower personal income tax rates ...  

    

Governments show very little effort to ‘grapple with persistent deficits and mounting debt.’ They continue to spend irresponsibly, driven by a fear that reduced spending will result in a loss of votes and political power.

I am hard put to think of a more dismal reason for our loss of truly democratic governance. 

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba