Canadian Politics Redux

DarthMaeglin

I suppose the tripling of the deficit can be called a surprise, despite the media speculation the last several weeks.

One item I've seen mentioned is a lack of a reduction of the small business tax, which was part of their platform.

Honestly, 20+ years of following politics in this country has led me to never be surprised when the Liberals seem to just say anything to get elected, then forget what they said during the campaign. The Cons tend to do what they said, even if the public don't like it. The NDP haven't yet had the chance to prove themselves federally, but our experience provincially here in Ontario wasn't a good one (which led directly to the Mike Harris Conservative government).

Just my roundabout way of saying I've been conditioned to such a level of cynicism that nothing any government, or the electorate for that matter, does surprises me.

PJ_Soul

Hmm. I don't feel like the libs have just said anything to get elected and then forgot what they said in this case... Obviously we've known for ages that the deficit would be bigger than hoped (the budget says double, not triple), but the Liberal party itself has really been confirming that IMO - it wasn't really just media speculation. The rest was either addressed today in some way or another or, of course, is still out on the table.

The Cons tended to do what they said (even when Canadians didn't like it), and then do a whole shitload more without telling anyone - specifically doing it in a way that would keep Canadians ignorant of what's being done - usually at the expense of something Canadians value deeply. That was their main problem.

PJfanwillneverleave1

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

DarthMaeglin

Sadly, both "governing parties" are guilty of bringing in major policies that aren't included in their election platforms.

And even worse, all parties become hypocritical after they acheive government (think the Liberal's ignoring Trudeau's travel costs for his vacation after lambasting Harper for the same, or Harper's flip-flop on the Senate, in the interests of fairness).

And sorry to nitpick, but when the Liberals campaigned on $10 billion deficits, a projection of $29.4 billion amounts to a tripling.

BS44325

The deficit is insane. His father would be proud.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

Forward thinking?

It was pesos tossed in the direction of the public. For what it did on the small scale... just keep the f**king money. Use it to increase MP pensions and offer more corporate tax breaks.

PJfanwillneverleave1

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

Forward thinking?

It was pesos tossed in the direction of the public. For what it did on the small scale... just keep the f**king money. Use it to increase MP pensions and offer more corporate tax breaks.

Tell that to all happy young ones playing sports and watch their reaction.
An incentive to get your kids active - silly me for thinking that's a great idea.

edit - penalty box for you, go sit and discuss your favourite colour and when your done pouting come back

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

Forward thinking?

It was pesos tossed in the direction of the public. For what it did on the small scale... just keep the f**king money. Use it to increase MP pensions and offer more corporate tax breaks.

Tell that to all happy young ones playing sports and watch their reaction.
An incentive to get your kids active - silly me for thinking that's a great idea.

edit - penalty box for you, go sit and discuss your favourite colour and when your done pouting come back

I've got kids in sports. I just did my taxes.

You're talking like the 'progressive thinking' was progressive thinking. It wasn't. It was a cheap tactic with very little substance: "Hey. Look at us all concerned for our youth in sport." Yah. Not really. But good try.

So yes... silly you.

PJfanwillneverleave1

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

Forward thinking?

It was pesos tossed in the direction of the public. For what it did on the small scale... just keep the f**king money. Use it to increase MP pensions and offer more corporate tax breaks.

Tell that to all happy young ones playing sports and watch their reaction.
An incentive to get your kids active - silly me for thinking that's a great idea.

edit - penalty box for you, go sit and discuss your favourite colour and when your done pouting come back

I've got kids in sports. I just did my taxes.

You're talking like the 'progressive thinking' was progressive thinking. It wasn't. It was a cheap tactic with very little substance: "Hey. Look at us all concerned for our youth in sport." Yah. Not really. But good try.

So yes... silly you.

Aside from the parents that can afford anything for their children it helped many other parents in situations at times. Imagine not being able to enroll your child into swimming (insert sport here) for a session because during that month for enrolling you just didn't have the means.
This was a program designed to help families that seem to struggle more than others.
Unless you have the means to enroll your child in an elitist sport sometimes sending your kid to soccer for one day a week over summer knowing that it is covered is a nice feeling and does wonders for the child.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

^^^^

Our provincial government did away with taxing bicycles- healthy... good for the environment... etc.

That, PJFan, is progressive thinking that the federal government fails to get behind. Don't be fooled by their cheap talk.

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
Sometimes you do have to step back and actually say aloud "It's for the children"

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

New budget is ending the children’s fitness tax credit and the children’s arts tax credit.
That was a very forward thinking plan by the previous govt.

Forward thinking?

It was pesos tossed in the direction of the public. For what it did on the small scale... just keep the f**king money. Use it to increase MP pensions and offer more corporate tax breaks.

Tell that to all happy young ones playing sports and watch their reaction.
An incentive to get your kids active - silly me for thinking that's a great idea.

edit - penalty box for you, go sit and discuss your favourite colour and when your done pouting come back

I've got kids in sports. I just did my taxes.

You're talking like the 'progressive thinking' was progressive thinking. It wasn't. It was a cheap tactic with very little substance: "Hey. Look at us all concerned for our youth in sport." Yah. Not really. But good try.

So yes... silly you.

Aside from the parents that can afford anything for their children it helped many other parents in situations at times. Imagine not being able to enroll your child into swimming (insert sport here) for a session because during that month for enrolling you just didn't have the means.
This was a program designed to help families that seem to struggle more than others.
Unless you have the means to enroll your child in an elitist sport sometimes sending your kid to soccer for one day a week over summer knowing that it is covered is a nice feeling and does wonders for the child.

You're not hearing me.

This program did very little to get kids in sport that couldn't afford it. What they threw at us never came close to covering what costs associated with programs are.

They saved nobody.

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
I agree the costs are astronomical in many "organized" sports.
But to get your child in a non competitive easy going kick the ball around sport was very accessible with this program - essentially subsidized daycare for the parents and a happy child laughing and playing.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

^^^
I agree the costs are astronomical in many "organized" sports.
But to get your child in a non competitive easy going kick the ball around sport was very accessible with this program - essentially subsidized daycare for the parents and a happy child laughing and playing.

I just don't know many of those.

If they took the taxes completely out of the youth sport equation... on all sides of it... then you'd have my attention.

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
That will never happen so we got thrown a few pesos for our troubles.
Make lemonade.
As adults you were given $150 a year to put your child in whatever you wanted sportwise.
It was not meant to fund your childs way to the nhl.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

^^^
That will never happen so we got thrown a few pesos for our troubles.
Make lemonade.
As adults you were given $150 a year to put your child in whatever you wanted sportwise.
It was not meant to fund your childs way to the nhl.

$60 per kid.

Then you had to claim it on your tax return.

PJfanwillneverleave1

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

^^^
That will never happen so we got thrown a few pesos for our troubles.
Make lemonade.
As adults you were given $150 a year to put your child in whatever you wanted sportwise.
It was not meant to fund your childs way to the nhl.

$60 per kid.

Then you had to claim it on your tax return.

$60 ?
I know you had to claim it.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

^^^
That will never happen so we got thrown a few pesos for our troubles.
Make lemonade.
As adults you were given $150 a year to put your child in whatever you wanted sportwise.
It was not meant to fund your childs way to the nhl.

$60 per kid.

Then you had to claim it on your tax return.

$60 ?
I know you had to claim it.

Yup!

Half a tank of gas when it was all said and done.

PJfanwillneverleave1

^^^
It was a maximum $150 credit return.
So if parents budgeted feasibly sporting programs were a free option.

lukin2006

The budget...isn't this the budget promises that got him elected. Yes he left a few things out, but for the most part this is what they ran on. They overshot their deficit targets by a little...hehehehe.

The previous government wasn't serious about balancing the budget either...

I do however approve of keeping OAS at 65...because the most vulnerable, those working at labour intensive jobs are the most effected by this.