Trudeau: "Business Unfriendly" is the new normal

[fluffy]

Offering significant disincentives to people to earn more money causes them to earn less money, which means lower tax revenue...

I don't think that's accurate. For starters the top one percent has more money than could ever possibly need or use, they're at the root of a system of income distribution that is seriously out of balance, where rank and file Canadians struggle to make ends meet. Asking the most fortunate among us to dig a little deeper to take some of the burden off the backs that are helping make that money for them makes perfect sense.

[fluffy]

Stupid taxation is what destroyed Venezuela.

Overly optimistic fiscal management and bad timing with the oil price crash is what has Venezuela in such a mess right now. They made huge infrastructure expenditures on credit and some less than lucrative deals with Chinese oil interests all based on a continued expectation of $100/bbl + oil prices.

[sooperphreek]

GB - progressive taxation is what built the western democracies.

There are many and varied reasons why progressive taxation, in a reasonable form, is by far the best model. One those refers to the "team" notion that I posted earlier. The ethical imperative that "each should contribute in accordance with their ability to do so" is fundamental to every team.

If in a classical "team" situation a member contributes nothing (when I played soccer we called them "pylons"), they would be kicked off the team.

Corporations in general, by adopting the foolish stance of "our only duty is to the shareholders" have said that they wish to contribute nothing and just want to take. From the country's perspective, they become "pylons". They become like a worker who shows up late, does as little as possible, and then not only expects a full paycheck but wants a raise and a bonus.

Please note that I make a clear distinction between the smaller and mid-size businesses (who generally are the real drivers of the main street economy) and "corporations".

this is very true. in a national sense big business brings nothing to the table. they pay less an less in taxes and less and less in wages which are taxed. and in the end like in the financial crisis they leverage themselves and say they are too big to fail. but it seems scary that the only ones with risk are the taxpayers.

[hobbyguy]

GB - progressively higher taxes never stopped me from trying to, and often succeeding at, making more money.

In fact I have only ever seen anyone avoid making making more money due to taxes in one situation. That was a few unionized workers who got paid double time for overtime, but would not work it as they had convinced themselves of this reason: "because the gubmint takes it all". Patently untrue, but that is what they thought. Lol, I always thought in the back of mind that I should be evil and phone their wives and tell them their husbands had just turned down $500 for a day's work...

[Gone_Fishin]

I don't think that's accurate. For starters the top one percent has more money than could ever possibly need or use, they're at the root of a system of income distribution that is seriously out of balance, where rank and file Canadians struggle to make ends meet. Asking the most fortunate among us to dig a little deeper to take some of the burden off the backs that are helping make that money for them makes perfect sense.

You don't really believe that spiel, do you? It's so inaccurate and so totally against everything Canada has ever stood for, and was built with. Maybe Cuba or North Korea would be better suited to your dream?

[sooperphreek]

You don't really believe that spiel, do you? It's so inaccurate and so totally against everything Canada has ever stood for, and was built with. Maybe Cuba or North Korea would be better suited to your dream?

the operative part of the phrase is what canada HAS stood for. past tense. things are swinging to the left. things like bernie in the states. or brexit. or trudeau. the way things have been done have holes and people see them. they want the loopholes closed. just because things were stood for in the past - doesnt mean they cant be changed. like rights in many of the last administrations bills. or squeal hotlines. fundamental freedoms have been eroded day by day. if those ideals can change - what makes you think market capitalist ones wont?

[fluffy]

...so totally against everything Canada has ever stood for, and was built with.

Like seven figure salaries and $200K/yr. civil servants ? We may have come from a time when hard work earned rewards but it's out of control. Wages in too many areas are way out of sync with the effort and skill being put forth.

[Veovis]

Like seven figure salaries and $200K/yr. civil servants ? We may have come from a time when hard work earned rewards but it's out of control. Wages in too many areas are way out of sync with the effort and skill being put forth.

Oh good, more jargon and statements that have absolutely zero back up for them. Yes there are people that make salaries such as you are claiming, yes you have no clue what those people actually do and just how qualified they are, and yes you have nothing to really back up your statement other than the clear personal feelings of "I hate that others worked harder and did better than me, that's unfair"

That's why a discussion about the current tax policies of the Federal government was being attempted, it's pretty much dead now as most have fallen into the defense of JT being *insert false jargon here* type statements and no rebuttle to the actual numbers posted showing the damage it will do.