HST cheques for Ontario

[Topaz]

Hey sounded to good to be true but if I'm right, this is the way its goes. IF you did your tax returned BEFORE MAY 10th, You probably got your money today BUT if you did your Tax return after May 10th, you have to wait 4-8 weeks. My son got his and my hubby and I are still waiting online. My son was online very early this AM and it was there in his account but I see no sign of ours. The Feds did pay Ontario didn't they? http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/hrmnztn/whtsnw-eng.html

[Argus]

Hey sounded to good to be true but if I'm right, this is the way its goes. IF you did your tax returned BEFORE MAY 10th, You probably got your money today BUT if you did your Tax return after May 10th, you have to wait 4-8 weeks. My son got his and my hubby and I are still waiting online. My son was online very early this AM and it was there in his account but I see no sign of ours. The Feds did pay Ontario didn't they? http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/hrmnztn/whtsnw-eng.html

It's only temporary anyway. It's highly visible, whereas the increases in so many products we buy won't be nearly as obvious. The cheques will disappear next year but the HST will be forever.

[ToadBrother]

It's only temporary anyway. It's highly visible, whereas the increases in so many products we buy won't be nearly as obvious. The cheques will disappear next year but the HST will be forever.

Maybe for you guys, but here in BC, it looks like the anti-HST campaign has now bagged some pretty big prey.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/06/11/bc-blair-lekstom-resigns-hst.html

Lekstom is one of the senior cabinet ministers, well-respected and generally well-liked in the BC Liberal caucus. If he's bowing out due to pressure, I think it's only a matter of time before the BC Liberal caucus explodes, and the possibility of the HST being tossed, or at least heavily reformed, will grow much more likely.

[Borg]

Who cares at the delivery rate?

Once they are done they are done.

A one time shot for one year and then you pay forever.

The government can NEVER give unless it TAKES first.

You can be damned sure they will give back far less than they take in.

Anyone celebrating a cheque arrival forgets it is the sweat of the taxpayer that paid them.

It comes off the backs of others.

A bull schitte tax for a deserving people that voted in old Squinty as premier.

Borg

[Oleg Bach]

My kid got his today also. Looks like they give a bit of cash to the small guy and a lot of cash to the big guys...supposed to create jobs _ I guess the rationale is if you make the rich more rich some how those rich will employ more poor - to bad the rich are quite cheap by nature - looks like a failed plan to me - who ever has more hords more and does not invest in people these days.

[August1991]

It's only temporary anyway. It's highly visible, whereas the increases in so many products we buy won't be nearly as obvious. The cheques will disappear next year but the HST will be forever.

On the contrary Argus, the GST/HST refund cheques are a key part of the tax.

For people with low incomes who spend a large part of their budget on food or rent (both GST exempt), the refund is probably larger than all the GST/HST that they pay. IOW, the HST combined with the rebate will make them better off.

I wasn't aware that McGuinty decided to mail out the HST cheques before 1 July implementation day but it was a smart political move. In fact though, the designers of the GST (Mulroney, Wilson and down) deserve credit for implementing this rebate system. It made the GST politically palatable, and it's even fair.

----

I am strongly in favour of the GST and the HST. These are good taxes and Canada will be better off because of them. I think that it is very hypocritical of the NDP in BC and Ontario in particular to criticize the HST. How can governments pay for all the social schemes that the NDP wants? The HST is a good, fair way to raise government revenues.

[Bonam]

On the contrary Argus, the GST/HST refund cheques are a key part of the tax.

For people with low incomes who spend a large part of their budget on food or rent (both GST exempt), the refund is probably larger than all the GST/HST that they pay. IOW, the HST combined with the rebate will make them better off.

And what about the people whose incomes aren't quite low enough to qualify? This tax, like all others, puts an ever increasing burden on the middle class.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Bonam

[madmax]

The government can NEVER give unless it TAKES first.

You can be damned sure they will give back far less than they take in.

Anyone celebrating a cheque arrival forgets it is the sweat of the taxpayer that paid them.

It comes off the backs of others.

A bull schitte tax for a deserving people that voted in old Squinty as premier.

Borg

Mike Harris used the same trick.

[Borg]

Mike Harris used the same trick.

I give a fart about Harris - that was then and this is now - one does not justify the other.

It only shows Canuckleheads are idiots.

Squinty is a lying bast**d and he is supported by idiots who believe him.

I am begining to wonder if anyone actually thinks in Canada - or are they all along for the free ride?

Enjoy that money from the government - it will dry up soon enough and the prices will continue to rise.

Borg

[Argus]

On the contrary Argus, the GST/HST refund cheques are a key part of the tax.

The information I have is that these "transition" cheques are temporary.

However, Opposition Leader Tim Hudak says McGuinty is trying to bribe taxpayers with their own money, and says the rebates will end next year but the HST will be permanent.

Toronto Star

For people with low incomes who spend a large part of their budget on food or rent (both GST exempt), the refund is probably larger than all the GST/HST that they pay. IOW, the HST combined with the rebate will make them better off.

Again, from what I know they will not be getting HST cheques beyond the transition period. The savings for the poor will supposedly come in lower tax rates.

However, there will be no savings for the rest of us. The HST will cost most families extra money every year. The Ontario Liberals seem to be operating under the immensely unlikely supposition that the administrative savings for retailers in only having one tax to pay will be passed on to the customer. We will be paying higher sales taxes but I'm betting not a single retailer or wholesaler will drop their prices at all.

Randall Denley is one of the best columnists I know for cutting through the BS. His take on it is here.

Randall Denley

n honest summary of the province's new HST would read something like this: we wanted to give businesses a huge tax break because it's good for the economy so we're going to stick you with the bill by making you pay more for a whole bunch of stuff.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Argus

[August1991]

Thanks for that correction, Argus. It appears that McGuinty is refunding to people in Ontario only the $4 billion inducement that the federal government offered to Ontario to harmize the PST with the GST. (Quebec did not receive such a sum when it harmonized its PST with the GST.)

I found this however from some BC website:

B.C. is proposing to provide a B.C. HST Credit to low income individuals. This B.C. HST Credit will be on a refundable basis and will be in combination with the quarterly GST Credit payments that low income individuals currently receive. The maximum amount of the B.C. HST Credit would be $230 for individuals with incomes up to $20,000 and $230 per family member for families with iincomes up to $25,000 in British Columbia. There is also a maximum B.C. Harmonized Sales Tax Credit that will be phased out by 4% of income above these thresholds.

Some Link

I also found this:

You apply for the OSTC, along with the GST/HST credit, when you file your income tax and benefit return. However, the quarterly OSTC payments will be issued separately from your GST/HST credit payments. The OSTC payments will be issued in August, November, February, and May. On your 2009 return, you may apply for the payments for the July 2010 to June 2011 period.

Canada Revenue Agency

So, I'll stand by my basic point that a low income rebate/credit was a key feature of the GST that appears to be continued with PST harmonization.

----

Since we're on the topic, I think the GST/HST is a good tax and I was saddened that Harper cut the GST to 5% (although I understood perfectly his political motivation for doing this). The Liberals were just as demagogic (if not moreso) in their opposition to the GST. Here's an example where good politics makes for bad public policy.

Canada's Left supports myriad government spending iniatives; how can it object to the taxes to pay for these expenses? In particular, how can it object to a tax (the GST) that picks good apples off a tree without killing the tree in the process.

And what about the people whose incomes aren't quite low enough to qualify? This tax, like all others, puts an ever increasing burden on the middle class.

Welcome to the world of "fairness" as decided by the Left. We need a cutoff point and I guess you're on the wrong side of the line.

Frankly, I would force all beautiful people to wear ugly clothes but I guess making rich and middle income people give money to poor people is a more effective way to accomplish the same goal.

Edited June 14, 2010 by August1991

[Bonam]

Welcome to the world of "fairness" as decided by the Left. We need a cutoff point and I guess you're on the wrong side of the line.

Actually I personally will get to benefit quite substantially. As a student living in the US and making just a grad school stipend, but with my permanent residence still in BC, I'll be getting those HST refunds despite never paying a cent of HST in BC. Incidentally, I won't have to pay any sales tax any more in the state where I study since my place of residence (BC) no longer has a provincial sales tax. I'll be saving 10% on all my purchases in the US and Canada is gonna be sending me cheques for GST/HST refunds.

Joke's on the Canadian taxpayer.

Frankly, I would force all beautiful people to wear ugly clothes but I guess making rich and middle income people give money to poor people is a more effective way to accomplish the same goal.

Lol please don't start on that again

[August1991]

Lol please don't start on that again

Well, if we make beautiful people ugly, does that make ugly people beautiful? And, if we make rich people poor, does that make poor people rich?

OMG, now I sound like Oleg.

Edited June 14, 2010 by August1991

[Bonam]

Well, if we make beautiful people ugly, does that make ugly people beautiful? And, if we make rich people poor, does that make poor people rich?

Just make everyone blind and destitute, that ways it's all equal. Right?

[August1991]

Just make everyone blind and destitute, that ways it's all equal. Right?

If we were all blind, we would be equal in sight. But would the world be a good place?

----

I think that smart Leftists (eg Obama) now understand that making everyone blind would not make the world equal, and certainly won't make the world a better place.

Yet, many Leftists still prefer "visual" equality over individual wealth. They prefer everyone equal and poor rather than having the poor a little bit better off. They are angry about how the rich are, or the divide between the rich and poor.

IMV, we should be concerned about the lives of the poor - not the divide of rich and poor.

In a world of blind and eyeglass wearers, I would not be worried about this stark divide. If the blind could see better, I would see this as a great advance.

Edited June 14, 2010 by August1991

[Bonam]

I think that smart Leftists (eg Obama) now understand that making everyone blind will not make the world equal, and won't even make the world a better place.

Sure hope so.

Yet, many Leftists still prefer equality over individual wealth. They prefer everyone equal and poor rather than having the poor a little bit better off.

You overestimate them. Most don't realize that their policies would make everyone "equal and poor". They genuinely believe that by taking wealth from those who produce and giving it to those who do nothing to earn it will somehow make everyone better off.

[Topaz]

This HST is suppose helps business but according to a radio program I'm listening to, some small business are tellling their customers, YOU pay in cash and I'M not going to charge HST. This will drive up the underground economy and if it is to create thousand of jobs, then as someone said, they should double the tax to double the jobs! It also sounds like people will be going to the gas stations to fill their cars and trucks before they have to pay 13% tax. The price of gas will go up anyway because of the holiday anyway. Some of on this program is asking why Ontarians didn't protest like BC or the First Nation, so we deserve what we get.