His flip-flop on a carbon tax makes that unlikely
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole should be hammering the government over the soaring cost of living. But his own carbon tax flip-flop is holding him back. O’Toole recently held a Facebook Live where he addressed one of the key concerns facing Canadian families. “In Canada, we’re already almost at five per cent [inflation], the highest rate…
Robbing the industry of the oxygen it desperately needs
In many parts of the country, Canadians report a growing number of empty grocery store shelves. It’s also happening in the United States and many other parts of the industrialized world. Before the COVID-19 Omicron variant arrived, empty shelves were visible but few shoppers noticed. They were sporadic in the fall as supply-chain woes continued,…
Since COVID-19 touched down, Ottawa has dished out $511 billion!
When governments subsidize something, you can expect more of it. With the federal government covering the cost of keeping workers and businesses afloat during provincial lockdowns, it’s no surprise that provincial politicians are biased toward new restrictions. Since COVID-19 touched down, Ottawa has dished out $511 billion through direct subsidies, tax deferrals and low-interest loans.…
The solution to the housing crisis is to build more homes, not raise taxes
By Franco Terrazzano and Kris Sims Canadian Taxpayer Federation The federal government is using tax dollars to dream up a new way to hammer homeowners. In 2020, the online news site Blacklock’s Reporter discovered the federal government funnelling $250,000 through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to figure out how to improve housing affordability. The…
It's more about a grab for power than about public health
“The unvaxxed, I really feel like pissing them off,” said French President Emanuel Macron a few days ago. “And so we’re going to keep on doing that, to the very end. That’s the strategy.” In an interview in September, an outraged Justin Trudeau accused unvaccinated Canadians of being “extremists” who are “often misogynistic and racist.”…
It puts Canadians' access to food at risk
The federal government apparently still wants to push ahead with its plan to require all truckers entering from the United States to show proof of vaccination starting Jan. 15. The plan creates some serious problems. Vaccines are the most effective way to reduce risks associated with COVID-19, stop the spread of the virus and save…
Cut the gas excise tax and deliver meaningful savings to everyday Ontario families
The countdown is on to get a gas tax cut in the province of Ontario. Late last year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would keep his promise to cut the provincial gas excise tax by 5.7 cents per litre, nearly four years after he first made the commitment to Ontario voters. After years of…
Actions speak louder than words
The age-old expression that actions speak louder than words conveys an important insight: character is best judged through action. Anyone can say or promise anything, but following through requires ability, skill, discipline, and commitment. So the simplest test of character is to pay attention to deeds. Plutarch, the first-century Greek biographer, refined the test. He…
A large portion of deficit spending is artificially inflating demand, and prices
Many factors influence prices, but that doesn’t mean politicians should be let off the hook for the rising cost of living. By printing new dollars, propping up consumer demand, discouraging production and raising taxes, Canadian governments have created the perfect storm for rising prices: more dollars chasing fewer goods. Since February 2020, the Bank of…
Evidence that vaccinated people can and do contract and spread the virus undermines the rationale of vaccine passports
The creation of multiple COVID-19 vaccines in an astonishingly short period was a stunning achievement by the biotech industry. The vaccines were approved for “emergency use” in just a few months, rather than the eight to 10 years normally required of previous vaccines. Most Canadians were more than willing to accept that risk. According to…