Thursday, April 15, 2010

Stephen Harper's job-killing tax hike will cost you $223

While Stephen Harper's Conservatives continue to try to twist Michael Ignatieff's words out of context and meaning to make you think he *might* one day raise taxes, his Conservative government ACTUALLY IS raising taxes. From higher airport security fees, to pulling funding for policing at airports (because we should have to pay a user fee for police protection, right?), to the most egregious example of all: his $525 tax hike on jobs:

Canada's budget watchdog says employment insurance premiums are going up, and by a lot.

The parliamentary budget office estimates that EI premiums paid by workers and employers will need to rise by the maximum allowable limit of 15 cents per $100 of insurable earnings to return the fund to near balance in five years.

That would hike annual contributions per worker by $535 — with about $223 more being paid by the employee and $312 by the employer.
Yes, that means you will be paying another $223 off your pay check to the feds every year, while your employer will be on the hook for another $312. What better way to ensure the economic recovery than a tax hike that will discourage employers from creating new jobs by making it more expensive for them to do so?

Yes, it's Stephen Harper's latest tax increase.

It seems he's the one that's just not worth the risk.

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8 comments:

Big Winnie said...

Let's not forget the 31.5% tax hike on income trusts.

Also, wasn't there talk about a tax on various financial services?

Moreover, with the implementation of the HST in both BC and Ont, that will "pad" the coffers of the government.

McLea said...

You realize the Government has to this because if they proposed a general personal income tax hike, the populace mob would lynch them in the streets, right?

Little dishonest? Sure. Good policy? Absolutely. Deficits don't cut themselves. If Canadians are not willing to make the tough decisions, than the Government has to make them for us. Shitty way to run the country, but it is what it is.

And your complaints about the EI hike are rich. Didn't the Liberals want to expand the scope of who could receive EI 10 months ago? How exactly were you planning on paying for that?

Jeff said...

(Accidentally deleted in moderation, my apologies)

From CanadianSene:

The Liberals promised their platform in May 2009?

29 Liberal forgot to show up in March to stop the next budget.

Now this week it will pass again?

Instead of blaming the government for those taxes, why not pull the plug or provide an alternative for debate in parliament?


Where is the adult conversation? What are the alternatives to those bad taxes?

Big Winnie said...

What is amusing is that the CONs said they would not raise taxes but yet they are.

McLea, according to the report released by the PBO, the cost of the Liberal EI measure was about $1.6Billion (approx) not the $4.5 Billion specified by the govt.

You want an adult conversation CS, try admitting that the govt lied about not raising taxes. Secondly, try staying on topic and quit deflecting the subject. If you refuse to do either, then I suggest you move along because there will be no adult conversation with you.

rockfish said...

The dishonesty starts in the mirror, mcflea. Isn't it Harper who's always pitching the 'bigger taxes' thing against the opposition whenever he needs cover?
Just like his other favourite toy, crime and punishment -- by the way, why hasn't he hired the extra police he promised in the 2005-06 election yet? -- taxes remain a topic he covertly plays keep away with. Can you draw us up that imaginary map out of the deficit that Harper/Flaherty continue to promise up -- i know, real economists* trust magic mirrors, not statistics and trends.

* not an actual economist but someone who has a degree but can offer good buying opportunities and guarantees that if we were to have had a recession it would have already happened by now...

McLea said...

I just don't trust Canadians to make the hard decision, and I'm not alone.

Remember the Green Shift? Universally it was recognized by economists as being good policy. But it all but ended Dion's political career because Canadians want to more environmentally friendly without having to bear the costs of being more environmentally friendly.

I don't like that Governments have to publicly declare that won't raise taxes, while subtly increasing taxes in areas where the public won't notice. It's dishonest. But I don't really see an alternative. Something has to be done about the ballooning deficit, and if Canadians are going to vote out any Government that would raise personal income taxes, then you have no choice but to find ways to pay for government expenditures.

Fred from BC said...

Everyone seems to forget that it was the Liberals who illegally took 50 BILLION dollars from the EI fund, and never replaced it.

CanadianSense said...

Harper can't pass a single Bill without cooperation from at least 10+ MP's. To date the Liberals have been the most cooperative in support of the CPC agenda.

We have been in a minority since 2004 - 2010.

Martin lost confidence and lost an election.

Since 2006 the CPC have not lost a confidence vote. The Bloc and NDP have also taken turns for a few months in passing some Bills.

The deflection, your requirement to force an admission the government is raising taxes. Those are "your" issues and not mine.

The majority of MP's are in the opposition and can throw out the Gov't to stop/delay the CPC Agenda. If they get a mandate for they can govern until they lose confidence of the HOC.

Why are opposition refusing to put forward their alternatives in the HOC? I don't whip Liberal MP's not to show up and remove confidence.
If the CPC Gov't won't cooperate, bad policy, stop supporting their agenda.( That's how it works)

Liberals suggest Canadians want an alternative but won't actually show up to work, allow us Canadian voters to confirm their statements.