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This is clearly one of those 'someone who's never had the problem invented a band-aide solution that didn't help anyone' situations. There are MANY of these when rich white guy politicians try and tackle poverty issues.
+ 1
As someone whose family use to be on welfare at one point in my life. It's hard to get out of poverty. Some of my friends and I that grew up in poverty and were lucky enough to get out of it all really dislike rich guys that don't understand how it's like to be poor yet criticize the poor for being broke.
I'm sure many here that were from less fortunate families understand the struggles and how hard it is to get out of it.
On a policy level. IMHO, I personally think that we should increase the basic personal tax amount to about $15,000 . The lowest 10% of income earners contribute such a small amount to the total tax collected anyways.
This will result in more money in poor peoples pockets because they will pay ~ $950 less in taxes per year. Most of this money will be used on consumer goods anyways such as food, rent,education etc and will just go back into the economy. It will at least give poor people a chance to improve themselves.
But the problem with this policy is that the average person would not understand how taxes work or how these basic federal/provincial amounts effect them and that taxes are calculated MARGINALLY.
I remember working in my last year of highschool and how many guys in their young 20s don't want to earn more because they will be afraid they will be put in a higher tax bracket, not understanding that taxes are taxed on the next dollar you make.
Politicians would rather say "reduced tax rates" or "more spending on so and so program" instead cuase they would rather win votes than have good public policy.
Watching the debate on demand now, comments below:
I love how Harper kept harping (pun intended) on the fact the opposition forced the election that Canadians do not want. So true.
I love how Layton hit on the Conservatives got people in trouble financially... yes cause they forced Canadians to spend too much and not save enough. Layton has been watching too many Disney movies, maybe he should have read the book where the Grasshopper dies.
I love how Iggy focuses on the learning passport without mentioning the unemployment is highest amongst young people who cannot find jobs to justify the high cost of their degrees.
I love how Harper keeps mentioning 200K jobs and $40B, while the opposition keeps asking for facts and figures without providing any of how not cutting corporate taxes will affect the economy.
Layton just said something compelling to Iggy: You supported Harper 100 times without getting anything in return. That's disgusting politics, I expect more from Layton.
I love how Layton keeps digging Iggy about supporting the corporate tax cuts and HST. That should help dig the Liberals a bigger hole!
I was glad Harper mentioned Haiti.
Iggy, no-one cares about the UN seat.
Why does Iggy focus on the G8/G20 spending more than any of the others? Despite Shelia Fraser herself, the most respected woman on the hill, saying to wait, not rely on the leaked report, and she's furious about the leak. Give it up dude, going against her, who exposed the Liberal sponsorship scandal, does not make a Liberal leader look good.
Best yet! In response to the questions about minority government working together Iggy criticizing corporate taxes cuts he voted for, jets his party initiated, ... as details the Conservatives hide from parties. You have to wonder why he's being a hypocrite saying Conservatives are hiding details when these details the Liberals voted on or initiated.
Layton was awesome: "You're seeing an example of what is broken in Parliament" after Iggy and Harper were trading barbs.
The whole G8/G20 debate was pretty funny. On one hand Harper gets criticized for spending taxpayer money for holding that conference in Toronto. Yet the Liberals and NDP said Canada has lost its prestige on the World stage. Hang on a second, isn't the whole point to these conferences here in Canada is to ensure we solidify our standing in the world? Many countries would love to have the chance to hold this important meeting.
Another point Harper said I thought was also very true is that, at this moment in our economic recovery we should be focusing on job creation and the economy, instead of this election non-sense and all the political bickering. I watched the whole 2 hour debate and to no surprise Harper was just cool as usual despite all the finger-pointing and balking.
Man i've seen grade 7 classroom debates more civilized than this.
Layton just yelling over Harper when he was speaking was just plain rude and disgusting.
Is Gilles Duceppe serious? Yes, let's vote him in as PM so he can break up the country and then run both sides. The Bloc are a joke and should be banned from Federal politics. Gilles, I'm embarrassed to have you representing Canada (that includes Quebec) on the international stage in any way shape or form. If you dislike Canada so much please leave.
I only saw the highlights but actually liked how Layton was sticking it to the Liberals on their flip-flopping. He seemed like a more stand-up guy than in previous debates I've seen. BUT, if he was truly shouting over people and being rude then that negates everything I just said.
Iggy is representing the Liberals very poorly and in trying to lean left is going to fail to capture those votes from the NDP while alienating his right which may swing Conservative. Layton did make him look bad today.
My prediction is a Conservative majority with the Liberals losing seats to the NDP.
^ yeah Layton was pretty much doing the following:
when Harper made his statements/answers to questions, Layton doesn't wait until he is done to give his comments (while Ignatieff and Duceppe does patiently wait until harper is done). Layton just goes OH BUT YOU BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH, harper would kind of still and ignore him, and layton does his OH DON'T IGNORE THE FACT BLAH BLAH BLAH to the point where I think the sound mixer turned his mic volume down.
I had good hopes in Layton, moreso the Liberals this election, but Layton's rude behaviour absolutely disgusted me, and pretty much took away all the credibility he had in my mind
I only started watching the part when they were all talking multiculturalism and Layton was blah blah blah on families/temporary workers...then Ducieppe came in and started asking Layton about Bill 101 whether he agrees or not. Layton just avoided the question and Ducieppe kept forcing on him to answer it. haha it was so stupid, you can tell he wanted to tell Ducieppe and his French party to fuck off.
Taylor's Defense: It doesn't matter if he wouldn't tell canadians where our money is being spent, I mean if someone came to my house in a car wrapped in gold and fixed my plumbing then gave me a 25,000 dollar bill, it doesn't matter because my plumber is the most honest man alive.
Same-sex marriage is legal. Harper has said that even if he gets a majority he would not reopen debate or attempt to push through any new legislation. He'd never get it reversed anyway, it's a dead issue.
Same-sex marriage is legal. Harper has said that even if he gets a majority he would not reopen debate or attempt to push through any new legislation. He'd never get it reversed anyway, it's a dead issue.
extended to cohabiting same-sex couples since 1999.
The Civil Marriage Act was introduced by Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government in the Canadian House of Commons on February 1, 2005 as Bill C-38. It was passed by the House of Commons on June 28, 2005, by the Senate on July 19, 2005, and it received Royal Assent the following day. On December 7, 2006, the House of Commons effectively reaffirmed the legislation by a vote of 175 to 123, defeating a Conservative government motion to examine the matter again. This was the third vote supporting same-sex marriage taken by three Parliaments under three Prime Ministers in three different years.
In politics never say never.
__________________ Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
As JD13 points out Harper has already made a public statement on the Conservative party's stance on gay marriage and abortion.
If you were paying attention and not looking for material for attack ads you'd know this. Its funny how the left hates the Conservative attack ads, yet almost every online forum/blog is filled with lefties digging up attack material, and Iggy spends the entire debate attacking Harper rather than presenting the Liberal platform.
Besides, like any team winning, I'll just point to the scoreboard. Conservatives are far ahead in the latest poll as the Liberals slip, so no need for a defense.
Taylor's Defense: It doesn't matter if he wouldn't tell canadians where our money is being spent, I mean if someone came to my house in a car wrapped in gold and fixed my plumbing then gave me a 25,000 dollar bill, it doesn't matter because my plumber is the most honest man alive.
Harper stated the reason if you watched the debate. The House voted on contempt, and the opposition has more votes. He's not the first PM to not disclose the costs of something, he's just the first one to do it with a minority and have the opposition call him on it.
I know that's a subtle difference that you'd incapable of picking up - yet thankfully most Canadians do not care.
If my plumber hands me a bill for $200, I don't ask him how much plumbing tape he used and try to itemize it into the costs. Then again, I'm not a drama queen lefty.
Have you noticed that you can only make a point by being over the top, out of context, or dig into old history? You might try being relevant, and tell that to Iggy at the same time or else the Conservatives may very well get a majority.
Jesus dude. You are something else. This is our money. The tax payers money. I want to know the costs. The government should never hide it.
Does it matter what my opinion is?
The government should never hide money. This is why the Liberals lost their majority thanks to Shelia Fraser. Ironic how she won't even support the leaked document that the Liberals are harping on.
I am something else you're not: educated and informed.
Here's an awesome quote from your article:
Quote:
“The licence to govern in Canada is the confidence of the House of Commons,” Russell says. “Period. Full stop.”
No minority government has the confidence of the house. None. Zero. Full stop. Tolerance would be a far better word. They tolerate each other until one sees an opportunity to gain some seats, then an election is forced.
The proof is in how many minority governments have run the full term without an election being forced. Care to guess how many ran a full term? I'll help you out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal...ents_in_Canada
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "Michael Ignatieff".
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin.
5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of "Michael Ignatieff?"
6. Firmly click 'Yes.'
7. Feel better?
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