myata

In a democracy, it was about understanding, expressing and implementing key needs, priorities and interests of the citizens. Solving problems. Finding and implementing working solutions. But that was long ago and maybe not here. The system here was designed, from day one, to rule safely and without any unnecessary troubles. For those (only) having access to the trough. You nailed it right on the spot, yet again. "And nothing else matters".

Sure one can invent any number of fuzzy rankings by dubious scales and obscure gauges. It would only be the same, as already stated: running away from the reality into artificial created one. Out of a buzzibillion, no just unlimited bottomless jar of ratings pick a few, a hundred that place you near the top and be happy. But thanks, very telling that in place of real, physical and palpable achievements and improvements you're flying ratings. Not much else to show, eh? Fixing public healthcare; eliminating child poverty; providing access to basic necessities everywhere in the country; improving transparency and accountability of governments Those are the problems being talked about for decades. None has been solved, or even approached to the solution. New ones are appearing: affordability of housing; costs of post-secondary education; RCMP and the army. In this century, we do not have working and reliable options to file a tax return, in a G7 country. Mobile rates are a wonder (joke) of the world. Can you still solve complex problems in reality? Or are you great mostly or only already, in talking?

Isn't it funny how feel-fuzzy left can think only in binary categories? If not total nirvana now then has to be a catastrophe tomorrow. This is already a symptom by the way, and hardly a good one. When you cannot adapt and change for the better the only option you have is to ignore the reality and pretend that things are the greatest as they are. It doesn't change the reality though.. only your future.

Most unaffordable housing, worst public healthcare system, worst corporate tax system, highest cellphone rates, lowest fuel efficiency: are all real measurable things. A bunch of feel-goodie fuzzy stuff about progress and democracy. A full democracy? Only because those making these ratings don't understand how Canada works. A great poster does not mean a working thing; democracy without real choice cannot be full or working. Canada is a great democratic poster, not a working democracy. And all of that, in a biggest, richest country in the world. Can we do better? And is even this state sustainable? We may have a glimpse of the answer already. Name three to five top public problems three decades back. And check which have been solved. Since then, a few new ones added. Old age security? Worked with 20 million population in a richest country in the world. Will it work with 100 million?

The question is, at best, incomplete. Absolute monarchy is viable with a population of medieval peasants and not, in a modern society. For a patriarchal remote backwaters of the developed world, OK maybe for a while longer. For a contemporary thriving democratic society, no way. There's no point in asking questions because we cannot get any meaningful answers. The system forgot how it's done. That is no democracy, cannot be.

"Charge is a service so we can slam a tax on it because it's adds to the value of the product!" How many charges? Any limits, of taxes? No questions. No answers. Nothing. Cemetery silence. Astonishing what can be claimed in this country by the governments, without as much as questioning. Wow. Fascinating! Truly amazing that we made it this far, but OK there are natural reasons. Can't end happily, no, simply no way.

Can there be a better illustration of the point (thanks)? Almost three hundred years back, smart and responsible people knew that no government can be "trusted" and designed and built a system based on oversight, checks and balances and even it is far from perfect as the experience shows. And here we go, again. Haven't figured it out yet? That's just too bad.

Without any real checks or controls on majority governments, it was only a matter of time. Had to be. No exceptions, no good governments out of checks and controls by the citizens forever, only a fairy tale. Boring and to say it plainly, quite silly, in this age, with all the information, history and experience. Haven't figured it out yet? That's just too bad.

Investigations, scandals, slaps on the wrist haven't stopped and will not stop the abuses. It's way past that because the system knows that there's no ways, just none at all it can be stopped or even provide any meaningful answers. Wasn't even in the plan.

What an amazing naivite at its best! So a technician getting out of bed, coming your way actually working doing something useful and real, physical; and a government slamming a charge on paper, here, done! is one and the same thing? "Value added" and service provided, matter closed? Easy? Amazing that someone is bold enough to say that and the rest, swallowing it silently and thoughtlessly. What will happen to a product in the market if the merchant thought to add too much value, this way? And for the happy government "services", what are the limits, reasonable or otherwise on how much "value" can be added this way, and the taxes you would have to pay on it, because it makes so much sense? Or have we just invented the ultimate cash cow, for the governments? It's exactly because of combination of the two, someone being bold enough to claim such nonsense in broad daylight and public because they know that they won't be called or challenged or even asked to explain; and the populace that couldn't care to ask even most obvious questions of its rulers that the country will end up in the third world, no matter natural riches. Why wouldn't it. Name one reason.

Wow, really! And difference being? If I can set charges arbitrarily what would be the essential difference between "tax on the price" and "plain and obvious tax grab"? Why should "goods and services" tax apply to government charges and taxes? Who forgot the meaning of plain English words here? Who's looking and anybody interested, anymore?

Seriously, can someone explain why there has to be a tax on a federal charge? Should there be any limits on the number of government charges, and the amount of taxes for any given item? Just curious. I'm I the only one here... is there anybody out there?

Exactly. The art of political bs at its best. Why even notice questions and come up with meaningful substantial answers if we can just so. See? Q.E.D.

Think about it: we can have only one of the two governments, one or the two, two or the one, red or blue or the other way around, ever, forever. That's how the system was envisioned, set up from day one and no meaningful change is possible, "such a can of worms" you know (like, you do). Next, any one of those can get you pay a charge for some good reason and as always, for your own good. Great. And for the last step, they will collect a tax on it, "goods and services" makes sense, no? You asked for a sense, reason, here: "as with", should be good enough for the peasants. And from this new great (and bottomless) source of revenue, pay themselves salaries, pensions, allowances, entitlements etc as always, one strong and lasting tradition, from day one. And you will have no word in that, red or blue is the only allowed answer. Is it Kafka already, or how close? Why do we need a tax on a federal charge? Is it, plain and simple, tax grab (because they can)?

After two centuries of virtually unlimited benefits? Prerogatives multiplied by entitlements to the power of obscene privilege plus emergency acts? That would be a formidable effort! And who would be up for it, the stakeholders, let's look around. Do you see, any?

Willing victims? And if so, why not participants, like everyone has a role to play in this show. For some, caviar dinners on a public dime, for others tax on a charge.

In what Universe would that be? Can we relocate?

Does it include the GST rebate too? Where did it say anything about that?

It's really challenging to keep the focus, isn't it? Remember, the point was about the tax, GST. GST on the charge, "the service". What rebate?

Look I've got a better explanation for you, one that actually makes sense: a tax grab. Look we're so cute and caring doing this great thing for the environment your children you know everyone has to chip in all the great talking and then... grab! Because we can. What? Simple.

the reason, really? Just shut up, pay up and be happy? Like why asking questions if there's only one answer... one of the two, Canada and the evolution, has to be terribly wrong

And one more time, at issue is the tax on the charge, in essence, another tax. Why there should be a "goods and services tax" on the charge dictated and taken by the government? What kind of b-dy "service" is that? What h-ing "sale" do we mean? What sense does it make, why and where? Can the try to stay on the topic, just this once?

Really why would you be fretting about your own dimes and cents making cute and cozy entitlements for our irreplaceable (like, legally) public heroes, if not changing much else in the country? So unCanadian of you (and yes, they know)

Same thing. Can't do anything about it so better just be happy (like pretty much everybody). The default, natural governing folk (in the old times, aristocracy but we have better words now... if the same ideas) is happy. And they are the only ones who can rule here, de facto. So be happy and good luck.

Same idea sure: because he can. Like, why not it pays more and everybody is happy.