Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Idea alert

by Aaron Wherry on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 1:04pm - 23 Comments

Economist Stephen Gordon wishes for a staggered reincrease of the GST, then opens the floor to his wonkish readership. A learned discussion of reforming the tax code ensues.

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  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

    We could probably save $10 billion if we cancelled some of the stimulus spending that is no longer needed.

    • Andrew (not PorC)

      In considering cancelling stimulus spending, we should consider whether the spending is actually a worthwhile investment. I'm not sure it makes sense to can needed infrastructure spending because the economy is beginning to recover.

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

        I completely agree that some of the infrastructure stimulus spending is a worthwhile investment. I'm just saying that there's lots of room to make cuts.

        • pulex

          I like this idea, MPs swooping into small-towns and repossessing the giant cheques from frowning local officals.

          Just think of the potential photo ops!

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

            Well, exactly. It's not politically feasible, so it won't happen, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't.

  • sbt

    I don't understand why people are arguing for a GST hike when we should just cut transfers to the provinces. Let them figure out how to fund their own programs.

    • Mike T.

      People who like having hospitals anywhere east of Montreal disagree!

      • Neil from Calgary

        make that east of Winnnipeg

      • sbt

        I noticed that there are still hospitals east of Montreal despite health cuts in the 90s.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Blamo Blamo

      True. And I don't understand why the provinces are breaching the possiblity of using that useless 2% GST room to raise their own PST.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/PhilCP PhilCP

      It would be interesting to see how the provinces respond.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/jolyon jolyon

    "Results from a new study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), reveal wages paid by the federal government to its employees are on average 17.3 per cent higher than what is earned in the private sector by those in equivalent occupations. The wage differential was derived from Census data representing more than 3.7 million full-time employees in 199 occupations, earning an average $60,924 annually in the federal government compared to $51,947 in the private sector." CFIB, Dec 2, 2008

    I would sort out the priestly class we have in Canada before raising taxes. I don't understand why we pay public servants more than the people who actually create wealth and pay the Nation's bills. Public servants are barnacles, there is no need to reward them with higher pay and benefits than everyone else.

    • Chris B

      What are the 199 occupations? Does it include restaurant/hospitality workers? Because the government does not have many of those, and they would drag down the average something fierce

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/craigola craigola

      It's the premium they must pay in order to attract talented people to what is otherwise the most thankless and soul-destroying work in the world: serving Canadians.

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/jolyon jolyon

        "It's the premium they must pay in order to attract talented people to what is otherwise the most thankless and soul-destroying work in the world: serving Canadians."

        Hahahahaha. Which CUPE Local do you belong to?

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/TJCook TJCook

          I work in a big corporation – no unions, competitive wages and attractive to prospective employees.

          We acquired a weaker competitor a few years ago and were suprised to see just how well-paid their employees were much better than us. They had to pay a premium to retain good people, since their brand wasn't as powerful on a resume.

          How is government employment any different? (Remember, you're one of the people sneering at government employees.)

  • Neil from Calgary

    Wait til you read what Gordon has to say about the Liberals' child care platform. Yikes

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis

    Choices, choices….. we have no choice …

    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/770566…

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SisyphusThis SisyphusThis
  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

    Here is a plan that would help Canadians in a less intrusive way and "provide a new source of revenue equal to 0.75% GST increase, but with no GST increase required"

    http://marshallplan.ca/marshall_plan.html

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

    Here is a plan that would help Canadians in a less intrusive way and "provide a new source of revenue equal to 0.75% GST increase, but with no GST increase required"

    http://marshallplan.ca/marshall_plan.html

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

    Here is a plan that would help Canadians in a less intrusive way and "provide a new source of revenue equal to 0.75% GST increase, but with no GST increase required"

    http://marshallplan.ca/marshall_plan.html

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/craigola craigola

    One of 'em. Can't remember which.

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