The old adage that nothing is certain but death and taxes, was first used by author Daniel Defoe, but in a different context. In his The Political History of the Devil (1726), Defoe dismisses the popular notion that the Devil has a cloven foot, or any other characteristic bestowed on
Continue readingTag: taxes
Accidental Deliberations: Wednesday Afternoon Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Jared Bernstein takes a look at after-tax inequality, and finds that it fits neatly with Thomas Piketty’s prescription to address the concentration of income and wealth through strong public policy: (W)hile the progressive taxes and transfers that don’t show up in Mr. Piketty’s
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: While Wynne goes to the left, Hudak dives hard right
You might have thought that Tim Hudak would have learned his lesson after his disastrous and short lived attempt to push his party towards US style union busting: going hard right in Ontario isn’t a winning strategy. Well, he is at it again with the first two major campaign announcement
Continue readingAlex's Blog: Without a Debate on Taxes, We Risk Sleepwalking into the Future (by Alex and Jordan Himelfarb)
Some months ago, we published a collection of essays designed to promote a discussion of taxes in Canada. The book’s premise is that the current tax conversation is distorted. While we rightly ask of any new policy or program proposal, “what will it cost and how will we pay,” we
Continue readingAlex's Blog: Without a Debate on Taxes, We Risk Sleepwalking into the Future (by Alex and Jordan Himelfarb)
“La Sonnambula”, illustration of a Bellini opera Some months ago, we published a collection of essays designed to promote a discussion of taxes in Canada. The book’s premise is that the current tax conversation is distorted. While we rightly ask of any new policy or program proposal, “what will it
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Laura Ryckewaert looks in more detail at the continued lack of any privacy protection in the Unfair Elections Act. And Murray Dobbin is hopeful that the Cons’ blatant attempt to suppress voting rights will instead lead to a backlash among those who are
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Tax Cuts Come With A Price
Tax-filing season, everybody’s favourite time of year, is once again upon us in Canada. It’s that time of year that we get to see just how much of our money our provincial and federal governments are taking to spend on seemingly wasteful things that nobody is supposed to care about.
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Thornhill PC candidate supports subway taxes, undercuts Hudak’s policy
After trying and failing to land a star candidate, Tim Hudak has settled for former Conservative riding association president Gila Martow as his candidate in Thornhill to replace his Finance spokesperson Peter Shurman, who resigned after billing you $20 grand to pay for a second home while living 150 kilometers outside
Continue readingJoe Fantauzzi: Good Reading: Paisley Rae On Really Engaging With Toronto Politics
Toronto’s municipal election campaign is officially underway. When it is all over on Oct. 27, 2014, several school board trustees, 44 councillors and one mayor will be elected. Paisley Rae has written a poignant post pressing Torontonians to ask important questions about needs in the city and whether it is reasonable
Continue readingJoe Fantauzzi: Good Reading: Paisley Rae On Really Engaging With Toronto Politics
Toronto’s municipal election campaign is officially underway. When it is all over on Oct. 27, 2014, several school board trustees, 44 councillors and one mayor will be elected. Paisley Rae has written a poignant post pressing Torontonians to ask important questions about needs in the city and whether it is reasonable
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: The Great Conservative Lie
Virtually all incidences of modern Conservatism – Canada and the US, federally, state/provincially and municipally, from politician to politician – has a consistent central theme. Campaign planks comes and go, but this is the frame of the Conservative movement. It is also a lie, known by all who say it
Continue readingLeft Over: Big US Brother will Contine to Watch You….
Canadian Banks To Be Compelled To Share Clients’ Info With U.S. CBC | Posted: 11/25/2013 5:00 am EST As a happily ex-Yank who gladly and gratefully accepted citizenship in this far superior (in every way) country, Canada, many decades ago, I would personally like to point out to the Yanks that Canada
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: How to Break Your Election Promises
Taxman: I was thinking of this Beatles’ song, recently, after council received the pre-budget report from the treasurer at last Monday’s council meeting. It’s dated, the song that is, but still eerily appropriate (I will have to learn to play it on my ukulele). Last election, all of us who
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Campaign Diary Volume 15: When you vote on Monday, vote thoughtfully
Here’s a video of my opening remarks to the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce all-candidates’ forum last night. Here are my opening remarks at the fair and well-run St. Alberta Chamber of Commerce all-candidates forum at the St. Albert Inn last night: My name is David Climenhaga and I’m asking
Continue readingAlex's Blog: Canada’s Dangerously Distorted Tax Conversation
“(In)visible Dialogue”. Installation by Wang King Road. 2011. Wikipedia Commons. (This post was written by Alex and Jordan Himelfarb; an abridged version appeared in the Star here.) We don’t like paying taxes. This is not big news: we don’t much like paying any bills, and there’s probably never been a
Continue readingAlex's Blog: Canada’s Dangerously Distorted Tax Conversation
“(In)visible Dialogue”. Installation by Wang King Road. 2011. Wikipedia Commons. (This post was written by Alex and Jordan Himelfarb; an abridged version appeared in the Star here.) We don’t like paying taxes. This is not big news: we don’t much like paying any bills, and there’s probably never been a
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Campaign Diary Volume 11: The uncomfortable truth about taxes and radical tax cuts
Radical cuts can’t be accomplished without harm – anyone who says different, like the city council candidate above, is presenting an illusion. Actual St. Albert city council candidates may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The philosopher Aristotle. A St. Albertan has asked me the tough question that all city
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On middle ground
Tim Harper’s column today is certainly worth a read in exposing the implausibility of the Cons’ “economic stability” theme. But I’ll point out that he completely buys the Cons’ equally flawed spin as to who stands to benefit from the major planks they’ve hinted at in their 2015 platform: The
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Blacklocks reports (PDF) on the abuse of a corporate tax credit which served as an “open bar” allowing businesses to have the public fund their basic operations. And it’s surely worth noting that after that abuse was identified, the Cons’ reaction was
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Not surprisingly, this week’s revelations about Pamela Wallin have set off plenty more discussion about what’s wrong with the Senate and its current beneficiaries. Andrew Coyne recognizes that the problem lies in the design of an institution based on patronage and unaccountability
Continue reading