The Nov. 3, editorial Political discourse is embarrassing was indeed refreshing in stating the obvious: Canadians and Albertans are fed up with political parties throwing their lives around like political footballs.
The Nov. 3, NDP is out of touch article continues the rhetoric by stating the “right movement is right because they support free enterprise with higher standard of living.” They further state other parties are wrong because of “socialist model of high taxation, income redistribution, government management of the economy and culture of dependency that results from big government.”
Both conservatives and liberals refuse to acknowledge they have implemented many benefit programs while practising selective socialism favouring the upper-middle class and wealthy since net worth and assets are not taken into consideration, and favouring those with marital status of married/common-law status with and without children. These programs have been achieved through vote-getting married families and married seniors who are in the majority.
From the time a married/common-law with and without children family unit begins at marriage until death of one of the spouses, it is possible they will receive shower, wedding and baby gifts, maternity/paternity leaves, child benefits, TFSA benefits (Harper 2009) times two, RRSP benefits times two, RESP grants, reduced taxes, pension-splitting (Harper 2007), OAS clawbacks (Harper 2011) that don’t work, Involuntary Separation and possible survivor pension benefits plus many other including provincial benefits. They possibly never pay full taxes while increasing their wealth because net worth is not taken into account. Married/common-law families without children get the marital benefits. Single parents get the child benefits. With no spouse or children, ever singles (never married, no kids) get nothing.
Calculations easily show that just an extra $10,000 (increased minimum wage) income for a poor family benefits everyone through collection of increased taxes, less dependency on government handouts, greater financial well being and CPP retirement benefits of income earner, and the economy through increased spending on goods and services.
The effects of this “income redistribution” and “culture of dependency” that the right claims they are not guilty of will result in future generations being ridden with high taxes because of high debt level to service these programs. An outside the box solution for financial equality of Canadians regardless of marital status could be a tri-partisan all-party approach where financial silos (CPP enhancement without increase in minimum wage) are eliminated and a balanced approach is taken so that all financial programs are reviewed against each other for financial validity and fairness. Canadians deserve much better financially from their political parties.
Lin Gackle
