Not sure if Jim Flaherty’s is trying to gather answers about financial priorities from ordinary Canadians or just the many millionaires who profit more under him and Harper.
If one is inclined to add input go to this link (and post your answers).
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Well, that felt good. Here are my answers….(You asked for it)
1. How can the federal government help Canadians with the costs of living and raising a family?
Fund a national child care program. Fund a national housing program. Fund a national public transit program. Fund a national home care program to allow seniors and people with disabilities to live dignified, supported lives in non-institutional settings. Establish a fair minimum wage across the country. Provide tax incentives to small businesses. Raise corporate taxes and income tax rates for high-income earners.
2. What can the government do to ensure Canadians are obtaining the skills and knowledge necessary for the jobs of tomorrow?
The government should be more concerned about educating Canadians so that they can think critically, be creative, solve problems, understand history, and learn to be active citizens who care about each other. Education is not supposed to be only about getting a job. Support small businesses and the arts.
3. What should be done to further help businesses grow and encourage the hiring of new employees?
Tax incentives for small businesses to help support them paying a decent minimum wage. Raise corporate taxes – corporations certainly don’t need government help, and should actually be subsidizing small businesses and the arts.
4. How can we better streamline regulations and further reduce unnecessary costs that may be holding businesses back?
You’ve done enough “streamlining” of regulations. I’d call it “gutting” of regulations, especially regulations that were in place to make sure companies couldn’t destroy the environment in the name of “economic benefits.” The destruction of the environment is an unnecessary cost. Oh, and how about the streamlining you’ve done to support companies that exploit workers with low pay, terrible working conditions, no job security, no benefits? The explosion of the working poor in this country is an unnecessary cost.
5. How can the government continue to support a stable environment in which investment and trade flourish?
See what I mean? You can’t even use the word “environment” without linking it to investment and trade. Only wealthy people and corporations flourish as a result of investments and trade. Everyone else is left to fend for themselves.
6. Given the Government’s goal to return to balance by 2015, are there any areas where the federal government can find additional savings and better respect taxpayers’ dollars?
See above re corporate taxes. I’d rather the government spend some time, energy and resources trying to figure out how to respect Canadian citizens. If more Canadian citizens actually had a few spare dollars, I’m sure we’d all be able to respect those dollars without your help. The problem is, you think of us only as taxpayers, and you think our sole purpose is to spend money to drive the economic engine. You apparently have no idea what citizenship is about.
7. Are there any other comments you would like to make regarding the Government’s Economic Action Plan?
No. I’m afraid I would just say rude things. I have nothing good to say about the Harper government. Besides, you don’t really want to hear from me. I’m not one of the minority who voted for you.