Stephen Harper government's $56 billion corporate tax cuts means cuts to government services and programmes for Canadians

Welfare for elites

by Gerry Masuda British Columbia Editorialist

I received a periodic newsletter from my MP who wrote that between 2001-2007, there have been $56 billion given to corporate tax cuts. This comes to $8.0 billions per year of lost annual government revenues per year.

A further $190 billion of tax cuts are scheduled for the next six years. This comes to $31.6 billion per year of annual loss government revenues.

Think of what (8.0 + 31.6) $39.6 billion annual lost of government revenues could do for Canadians. Think of our inadequately funded Medicare and education budgets. Think of new programs such as Pharmacare, a nationally funded child care program, a guaranteed liveable income, housing for the homeless, upgrading of our physical infrastructure -- with billions still left over.

I now understand the mantra we have been brain-washed to believe - TAX CUTS AND SMALLER GOVERNMENTS – as good for all Canadians. It means tax cuts to the richest individuals and corporations and cuts to government services and programs for the public.

Something is wrong. How is it that, in spite of our overwhelming numbers, the rich get all the tax breaks and we the people ‘pay’ for these tax cuts by suffer cutbacks in government services and programs?

Can anyone explain to me how, in a country as rich as Canada, we have so many homeless and so many families only two paycheques away from becoming homeless?

Can anyone explain to me how these tax cuts have been given without a public outcry?

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