An interview I caught on either CBC or CTV last week caused me to ponder how much Canada has changed since the Trudeau government came to power nine years ago. Of course, some good things happened, and the COVID-19 pandemic was clearly a game-changer.
But if I were asked the age-old question, “Are we better off today than we were nine years ago?” I would have a hard time saying yes.
I have never been a fan of big government and do not believe that government should be all things to all people. That smacks of socialism to me. I am also constantly reminded that every single dollar a government spends comes out of someone else’s pocket.
It does not give me a great deal of comfort to know that since 2015, employment in Canada’s public service has grown by more than 35 per cent while, in the same period, our national population has grown by only 14 per cent.
On top of that, when the Trudeau government took office in 2015, Canada’s National debt was 619.3 billion dollars. Since then, it has very nearly doubled to an almost insurmountable debt of 1.2 trillion dollars.
Yes, as some will argue, the pandemic is accountable for a portion of that increase, but not nearly all of it. In our ordinary lives, when something unexpected comes along, we don’t keep spending, and we have to cut our expenses elsewhere. The Trudeau government has shown little enthusiasm for that kind of common sense.
That doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy about being better off than we were when the Trudeau government first took office.
Then there is the matter of taxes. We are taxed wherever we go on income, property, retail purchases, gasoline, and so-called ‘sin’ purchases like liquor and tobacco. We are actually double-taxed because we pay tax on our income and are then taxed again when we spend that income.
In 2023, an average Canadian family paid 43% of their income on some form of taxes. In 2024 it is projected that it will be more. This, in spite of the fact that the top 20% of income earners in Canada pay 61.9% of all personal tax revenue.
One online pundit called it “The biggest scam in life – paying taxes on money you make, taxes on money you spend, taxes on things you already own and have already paid taxes on with already taxed money.”
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a forum where governments of 38 democracies with market-based economies, including Canada, collaborate on policy standards to promote sustainable economic growth. Out of those 38 countries, Canada’s top combined tax rate ranks as the 5th highest.
Of course, the Trudeau government is not responsible for all of this, but they have certainly contributed to it and have done nothing about reducing the tax burden. Many consumer taxes have been increased and new taxes such as the carbon tax and a higher capital gains tax, have been added by the Trudeau government.
It is important to note that a capital gains tax does not just affect the wealthy. It affects entrepreneurs who risk their own capital, often to build something from nothing, who create new jobs and opportunities, and then, after a relatively small lifetime reduction, have to pay one-third to two-thirds of their hard-earned equity to the government for each project they develop. This is a regressive tax that discourages innovation and excellence from those entrepreneurs who play a pivotal role in our economy.
So, do I believe from the point of taxation that we are better off than we were 9 years ago? I don’t think so.
Now, let’s just look at a few of the more serious and consequential mistakes the Trudeau government has made during its time in power.
First, there is the so-called reform of the Canadian Senate undertaken by the Trudeau government early in its mandate. It called for the appointment of “independent senators” rather than those with a partisan bent. It was a joke. The appointments made by Trudeau to the Senate were primarily nothing more than Liberals by another name.
The hard facts are that the Senate is stacked, and any newly elected government other than a Liberal one will have a huge challenge getting much of its legislation passed. Real reform of the Senate is needed, and that would include direct election by Canadians or its abolishment.
Then there is the Judiciary. They are supposed to be independent and their appointments non- partisan. Yet, 76.3% of Federal judicial and tribunal appointees are people with ties to the Liberal Party. Yes, again, I know that happens elsewhere, but that does not make it right.
Of course, there are also scandals—too many to mention here, but of particular note is the ArriveCan debacle, the development of an app that cost Canadian taxpayers $59.5 million. The Auditor General, Karen Hogan, said the government paid too much. Of greater interest, however, is who got the money.
G C Strategies is (or was) a two-person IT staffing firm founded in 2015, the same year the Trudeau government came into power. They became the largest contractor on the ArriveCan project, receiving several contracts, some of them sole-sourced.
It has been estimated that these two individuals received at least $19.1 million in fees. There have been a number of questions as to whether all of this passes the smell test. Progress on getting to the bottom of it has been, at best, slow. I wonder why?
Nick Nanos, a prominent (although I believe Liberal leaning) pollster, made this comment recently: “Trudeau Liberals are under siege across the country, with Conservatives crashing red fortresses like Toronto and Vancouver.”
I wonder why? Maybe it is because most Canadians really don’t believe they are better off now than when Justin Trudeau first came to power?
Just asking.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler and South Muskoka Doppler.
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Bob Braan says
The fact is “the 10 happiest nations in the world are, in order, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel and New Zealand. The UK is 17th and the US 16th.
Are these happy countries also low-tax countries? On OECD calculations, these 10 nations have extremely high taxes. ”
Millions of Canadians were far better off having a Liberal government assisting those in need during the pandemic.
Conservatives typically cut services to those in need and give the savings to the rich in tax breaks.
Like refusing to spend federal Covid money to help those in need.
“Ford held back $5.6 billion that should have been used to protect Ontarians: NDP”
While running up debts and deficits.
Think you’re unhappy now?
Just wait until Poilievre axes the carbon tax rebate that is helping those in need.
80% of Canadians get more back with the rebate than they pay in the tax.
Especially low incomes that depend on the rebate.
The rebate is up to $2,160/yr for a rural family of four in Alberta.
Think it’s just a wealth transfer program? Nope.
Don’t like the tax?
Avoid it by lowering your carbon footprint.
All incomes get far more back with the rebate if they go EV and heat pump.
Which is the point.
Reward those who lower their carbon footprint without penalizing those who don’t/can’t.
Think PCs are better money managers? Nope.
Doug Ford’s deficits and increase in the debt is higher than Wynne’s.
In spite of all his cuts.
How can that be?
Kissing goodbye to Ontario’s revenue faster than he’s cutting services.
$1.1 billion cost/loss in revenue with licence plate sticker renewals.
$500 million of public money for a parking garage for a private spa.
“Doug Ford’s change to booze sales could cost far more than $225M”
Not a dime for minor roof repairs at the Science Centre.
“Ontario’s $9.8-billion deficit in 2023 is larger than Wynne’s $7.8 billion in her final budget in 2018, while Ford has added $86.7 billion to the provincial debt in five years, compared with the $61.4 billion the Liberals added to the debt over a similar five-year timespan.”
Wynne looks pretty good by comparison.
By any measure.
Of course you can’t believe any numbers from Ford.
“Ontario’s financial watchdog says deficit ‘was never $15 billion’ as Doug Ford previously claimed ”
“Shortly after Premier Doug Ford was elected he claimed the province was strapped with a staggering $15-billion deficit because of the previous Liberal government’s reckless spending.
“It’s important for people to understand the official deficit was never $15 billion.”
Try half of that.
It’s easy to do better than a totally false, inflated number.
Ontario’s top accountant actually quit over Ford’s false numbers.
That’s never happened before
She wouldn’t sign off on the false numbers.
Google “Province’s chief accountant quit after refusing to sign off on Fedeli’s $15 billion deficit figure”