Future NDP Policies?

[socialist]

Will this actually be a part of the NDP platform? Or would it be something they don't talk about during the election, but adopt these ideas if they form government? Anyone can sign the petition.

We, the undersigned, applaud Federal NDP Leader Tom Mulcair for advocating a national childcare plan, a $15/hour minimum wage, and for opposing repressive Bill C-51 and the extension of the bombing of Iraq, and into Syria.

At the same time we call on Tom Mulcair to advance, as a priority, the following policies, which we call the 4 P's, as part of the current NDP election platform:

Pharmacare – a national drug plan will save Canadians over $7 billion, and is urgently needed to improve public health, especially of seniors and the poor.

Pipelines – the big drop in the price of oil presents a golden opportunity to oppose pipeline construction, to re-tool, and to go for green energy conversion (wind, hydro, solar, geothermal and biomass). To fund that gigantic energy shift it will be necessary to conscript the enormous accumulated wealth of the resource corporations by nationalizing Big Oil and Gas under workers' and community democratic control, while respecting Indigenous peoples' rights.

Progressive taxation – it will cost much money to provide $15/day childcare and other vital social expenditures required. The federal NDP should insist, not only on plugging tax loopholes, but on steeply taxing big business, the banks and the super-rich, while phasing out the regressive HST.

Palestine – over 2,000 residents of Gaza were slaughtered by Israeli forces last summer. Benjamin Netanyahu and his racist Likhud coalition were re-elected after promising there will never be a Palestinian state. The two-state solution is dead. The alternative is a one-person, one-vote, democratic secular Palestine. We ask Tom Mulcair to support the demand of Palestinian unions, civil society and unions across Canada and around the world which call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against the Zionist state until its apartheid practices end.

The petition is here for all interested.

https://www.change.org/p/federal-new-democratic-party-leader-tom-mulcair-we-call-on-tom-mulcair-to-advance-as-a-priority-the-following-policies-which-we-call-the-4-p-s-as-part-of-the-current-ndp-election-platform-2?recruiter=21578311&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

More information about these outstanding, nation building -to prosperity planks can be found here.

http://www.ndpsocialists.ca/

[Argus]

Progressive taxation – it will cost much money to provide $15/day childcare and other vital social expenditures required. The federal NDP should insist, not only on plugging tax loopholes, but on steeply taxing big business, the banks and the super-rich, while phasing out the regressive HST.

Sales taxes are not regressive. They're the most effective, efficient and progressive form of taxation around. Whoever wrote this was an economic illiterate.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Argus

[socialist]

Sales taxes are not regressive. They're the most effective, efficient and progressive form of taxation around. Whoever wrote this was an economic illiterate.

These are the beliefs of the NDP Socialist Caucus.

[msj]

Harper cut the GST and he is some kind of economic wunderkind ( ok, now that is being sarcastic).

[Black Dog]

Sales taxes are not regressive. They're the most effective, efficient and progressive form of taxation around. Whoever wrote this was an economic illiterate.

Progressive taxes are called thus because the rate increases (or "progresses") as income increases. With a sales tax, people pay the same tax for the same thing regardless of their income, so someone with a low income will be paying more tax relative to income than a higher income individual buying the same thing, therefore, it is a regressive tax. Obviously.

[Canada_First]

Progressive taxes are called thus because the rate increases (or "progresses") as income increases. With a sales tax, people pay the same tax for the same thing regardless of their income, so someone with a low income will be paying more tax relative to income than a higher income individual buying the same thing, therefore, it is a regressive tax. Obviously.

If people want more money then they should be prepared to work harder and/or invest in themselves and go back to school for more education and training. Not expect the government to fix everything for them. The government is not our mommy and daddy, we don't need them interfering in our lives any more then they already do.

[Michael Hardner]

The government is not our mommy and daddy, we don't need them interfering in our lives any more then they already do.

Yes, but they already do change the rules of trade thereby creating big shifts in the labour force, and changins the playing field for the labour market, as well as the costs of goods and services. Therefore they have a responsibility to make sure the economy works for all Canadians, even if individuals are charged with the tasks of adjusting.

[Black Dog]

Yes, but they already do change the rules of trade thereby creating big shifts in the labour force, and changins the playing field for the labour market, as well as the costs of goods and services. Therefore they have a responsibility to make sure the economy works for all Canadians, even if individuals are charged with the tasks of adjusting.

I don't know why you dignified that ridiculous tangent with a response.

[Michael Hardner]

I don't know why you dignified that ridiculous tangent with a response.

An opportunity to educate a poster about how government works, in the context of the discussion.

[cybercoma]

If people want more money then they should be prepared to work harder

Because we all know those who earn the most are the hardest workers.

[cybercoma]

An opportunity to educate a poster about how government works, in the context of the discussion.

The poster knows how government works. They're just spewing dogmatic garbage.

[socialist]

An opportunity to educate a poster about how government works, in the context of the discussion.

Why is the thread drift allowed here? What about the four planks in the OP? What are your opinions of those?

[Michael Hardner]

Why is the thread drift allowed here? What about the four planks in the OP? What are your opinions of those?

Progressive Taxation, ie. not the GST. I'm in favour.

[socialist]

Progressive Taxation, ie. not the GST. I'm in favour.

I favour a flat tax.

[PIK]

Harper cut the GST and he is some kind of economic wunderkind ( ok, now that is being sarcastic).

How much money have you spent since the cut. And the 2% you saved adds up big time. Unless if you live in ONT then they take whatever savings we got from the feds.

[Black Dog]

Why is the thread drift allowed here? What about the four planks in the OP? What are your opinions of those?

They are irrelevant.

[PIK]

The palestinian one is pathetic like usual. You want apartheid , look at the neighbours.

[socialist]

They are irrelevant.

Irrelevant? The NDP Socialist Caucus is real. Have you heard of them? Have you looked at their website. They are a strong vice within the NDP.

[Black Dog]

Irrelevant? The NDP Socialist Caucus is real. Have you heard of them? Have you looked at their website. They are a strong vice within the NDP.

Oh yeah, such a strong voice that they couldn't even prevent the party from taking the word socialism out of its constitution.

The NDP voted Sunday to take references to socialism out of the party's constitution, a controversial move to modernize that the party had to set aside two years ago.

Delegates voted 960 to 188 in favour of the change. The result was met with cheers of "NDP! NDP!

[socialist]

Oh yeah, such a strong voice that they couldn't even prevent the party from taking the word socialism out of its constitution.

Delegates voted. The NDP consists of more than a thousand or so "delegates". So basically what you are saying between the lines is that there is no longer any difference between the Liberals and NDP.

[Black Dog]

Delegates voted. The NDP consists of more than a thousand or so "delegates". So basically what you are saying between the lines is that there is no longer any difference between the Liberals and NDP.

No, I was saying that your contention that the socialist caucus is a major voice in the NDP is clearly false. Nothing more, nothing less.

[socialist]

No, I was saying that your contention that the socialist caucus is a major voice in the NDP is clearly false. Nothing more, nothing less.

They are a voice and a voice that is often heard. Many of the Quebec NDP MPs have the same ideals.

[Black Dog]

They are a voice and a voice that is often heard.

Being heard is not the same thing as being listened to.

Many of the Quebec NDP MPs have the same ideals.

Citation required.

[Icebound]

Irrelevant? The NDP Socialist Caucus is real. Have you heard of them? Have you looked at their website. They are a strong vice within the NDP.

They are irrelevant.

Some of these look like the kinds of policies Mulcair is trying hard to distance himself from. How successful he is remains to be seen.

In any case, GST is more progressive than most other taxes, because the wealthier spend more and on bigger-ticket items, so they end up paying more tax.

Nationalization of fossil energy is a non starter, although having private industry..., especially foreign industry... holding Canadians hostage is also not desirable.

The Israeli Palestinian statement takes a jab at our political-correctness on the issue. Maybe saying what majority of people think, but won't say out loud.

Some form of pharmacare is already being introduced by provinces, and a national strategy makes sense.

In total 3-4 out of 10.

[Keepitsimple]

No, I was saying that your contention that the socialist caucus is a major voice in the NDP is clearly false. Nothing more, nothing less.

There's a very big difference between the almost 1200 "delegates" and the NDP caucus (elected MPs). Since the majority of elected MPs are in Quebec - the most socialistic of our provinces by far, you can bet the farm that the vast majority have strong socialist leanings. So they do have a strong voice in the party - unless you're ready to accuse Thomas Mulcair of being worse than Harper - and muzzling all of them!