MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to an article about a Canadian Taxpayers Federation report, published Jan. 3.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s (CTF) Franco Terrazzano is reporting, with seemingly great despair, that five taxes are being increased.
Regarding Canada Pension Plan: I wonder if CTF would do better to explain what happens if the Canada Pension Plan tax increase were not to happen. Would pension benefits be cut back? Would the federal public have to be increased to pay for maintaining the level of benefits?
The same can be said regarding the moaning about the increase in employment insurance taxes. Should benefits to people who become unemployed — who experience far more burdens than almost all of us who are paying the tax — be frozen even though inflation is eating into their benefits?
Regarding carbon taxes: Economists universally know that carbon taxes are the best way of cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions. Does the CTF not have the slightest clue about what the horrendous and brutal impact that evermore rapid climate change will be doing to diminish not only our overall well-being, but to taxpayers’ costs of mitigation and recovery from the damage climate change will cause? Why is the CTF not also urging people to become more energy efficient, and that doing so is also good for their wallets? That would be more helpful.
Regarding alcohol taxes: Booze is enjoyable but not a necessity of life. Cut back a glass or bottle once in a blue moon and you’ll offset the cost of any tax increase. And, by the way, taxes on alcohol go into the general revenue fund that pays for most government programs. Cut or freeze taxes on booze and what program reductions would the CTF recommend? Health-care costs to treat victims of alcoholism, or drunk driving crash injuries?
The simplistic approach to taxes by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is unproductive. Sure, tax increases are not enjoyable, but I suggest that the CTF be more honest about the effects of what they are complaining about.
John Stillich
Innisfil
