Canadians Solidly Behind Justin Trudeau

Argus · December 15, 2015

I'd gladly double the GST and even more happily take a cut in income tax.

What would happen if people were allowed to opt for one mode of taxation over another?

Bearing in mind half the people in this country pay little or no tax I would imagine the other half would opt for consumption tax so they could keep more money and put it into savings.

Wilber · December 15, 2015

So, that would be a no then.

A 2% increase in GST would do far more than claw back the so called middle class tax cut, plus upcoming carbon taxes and whatever other costs due to the Paris agreement, plus deficits at least double the campaign promises, plus the hit Canadians are already taking because of currency devaluation. Sunny days ahead for Canadian consumers my friend.

Reality Bites.

ReeferMadness · December 15, 2015

A 2% increase in GST would do far more than claw back the so called middle class tax cut, plus upcoming carbon taxes and whatever other costs due to the Paris agreement, plus deficits at least double the campaign promises, plus the hit Canadians are already taking because of currency devaluation. Sunny days ahead for Canadian consumers my friend.

Reality Bites.

The question wasn't whether you liked a tax hike - it was whether you had any objective evidence that it would slow the economy. Based on your responses, it seems like the answer is no.

There is a belief that lower taxes makes the economy spin faster but it seems like it's really more of an article of right wing faith than anything backed up by real data.

Wilber · December 15, 2015

The question wasn't whether you liked a tax hike - it was whether you had any objective evidence that it would slow the economy. Based on your responses, it seems like the answer is no.

There is a belief that lower taxes makes the economy spin faster but it seems like it's really more an article of right wing faith than anything backed up by real data.

Where does the money come from to make the economy spin faster if the government keeps taking more? This country is already at record levels of personal debt. Once that debt has been serviced every month and the government takes a bigger chunk of what is left over, where does the money come from?

Reality Bites.

-1=e^ipi · December 15, 2015

If someone is a liberal Muslim why would they be alienated by our condemning the excesses of conservative Islam?

I made no such claim.

Smallc · December 15, 2015

Are you aware you have to pay the GST when you purchase a new car or a newly built home?

I'm aware. People don't do that all that often. People also, somehow, survived before the decrease.

Big Guy · December 15, 2015

I am not sure that what this government does - it is what Trudeau does. More and more with Cabinst members giving interviews all over the place it appears that it is the Cabinet that is making the decisions. Looks like Trudeau picks his people, gives them the portfolio and then tells them to go with it with suggestions from caucus.

The danger with that management system is that the message may get garbled as have a few already, with a couple of Ministers not reading from the same script. The refreshing part is government officials actually speaking their minds and making their own decisions.

The first weeks after the elections, it was refreshing to see so many cabinet ministers on talk shows - mind you they had very little to say since it was very early. I do miss the programmed talking heads of the past since it was easy to pick up the phrase of the day.

I am glad that legislature is shut down for over a month. Time to give the new representatives time to read their portfolio's, hire staff and learn how to not answer questions. It was a little unnerving to watch question period last week. One side was asking pointed questions and the other side was actually answering those questions. It has become too serious without the comical relief of Paul Calandra.

Boges · December 15, 2015

Are we really paying attention to poll numbers 2 months after the election?

Wilber · December 16, 2015

I'm aware. People don't do that all that often. People also, somehow, survived before the decrease.

A 2% jump in GST would be a much bigger deal than a 1.5% income tax cut to a limited tax bracket. Wonder why that possibility never got mentioned during the election.

Smallc · December 16, 2015

A 2% jump in GST would be a much bigger deal than a 1.5% income tax cut to a limited tax bracket. Wonder why that possibility never got mentioned during the election.

As far as I know, it hasn't been mentioned at all. I'm not part of the government, last I checked.

Wilber · December 16, 2015

As far as I know, it hasn't been mentioned at all. I'm not part of the government, last I checked.

So it's not going to happen..

Smallc · December 16, 2015

So it's not going to happen..

I couldn't tell you if it's going to happen or not. They say, as of today, that there are no tax changes planned outside of the ones already announced.

WestCanMan · December 16, 2015

Strangely enough I'm okay with it. May's numbers surprise me though. She's a clown.

She looks like she knows what she talking about on the topic of climate change. Every other time I've seen her tho she looked like a bumbling fool.

Argus · December 16, 2015

She looks like she knows what she talking about on the topic of climate change. Every other time I've seen her tho she looked like a bumbling fool.

Just don't ask her what it will cost, or what the actual real-world difference our efforts will make

ironstone · December 16, 2015

Awww, this is gonna hurt all those Trudeau haters on MLW. The latest Ekos poll shows Canadians haven't been this happy about their government since 2001. Among the findings:

- Confidence in the country is 61% (20 points higher than under Harper)

- Trudeau's personal popularity is at 64%

- If an election was held today, 46% of respondents would vote Liberal

- Elizabeth May has a smoking 78% approval rating

All those Conservative voters sitting in the corner licking their wounds won't like this one very much.

I think Trudeau has a lot going for him as far as what's important to progressives.The looks,the charm,the selfies.These things clearly greatly impress his supporters.I think this far left Liberal government is still in the honeymoon stage which I admit,will be a very long honeymoon given the love and admiration from the mainstream media.

So his popularity is high.Can you name his greatest,most important accomplishment to date?Why isn't Elizabeth(frequent flyer)May Prime Minister now?

dialamah · December 16, 2015

So his popularity is high.Can you name his greatest,most important accomplishment to date?

He publicized the mandate letters to his Ministers and I just saw an ad that JT is having not one, but two, live, online Town Hall meetings, at which he will take questions from the Canadian Public - 11 am and 7 pm today. On my FB feed was a request for questions, presumably for these town hall meetings. I'd say his greatest accomplishment to date has been his commitment to openness and transparency and his willingness to engage publicly. It's pretty early days yet, but if he can keep this up for four years, I would suggest that even if he makes mistakes people will trust him and want him back just because of the sense that he's responsive to the people he's governing.

It's easy to brush this off as insincere pandering, especially this early in his term, and that may end up being true as well. On the other hand, if it's genuine, and if he can raise the trust people have in government that would be a major accomplishment.

As an aside, a friend of mind who works fairly high up in the federal government says that the difference in moral her department since JT was elected has been considerable. She describes it as a breath of fresh air.

ironstone · December 16, 2015

The openness and transparency means Trudeau only want his government to appear this way,As always,the decisions will be made behind closed doors and I think it's pretty clear that Trudeau will take his marching orders from far left progressives.

I know why morale would be higher in the public service now.It's because the era of big spending,wasteful,bloated government is back in force.Trudeau will take the same path as Kathleene Wynne,we in Ontario know how that is working out.

drummindiver · December 16, 2015

Well thank you for clarifying your position, Donald Trump. Because alienating liberal muslims is clearly the most effective way to deal with Wahhabism. *sarcasm*

Wahabis' are not Wahabis because of anyone's viewpoint.

drummindiver · December 16, 2015

woot!! After the last 10 years, that is a laugh!

You guys are sore because 10 years after it was promised, we're finally getting open and accountable government. Just not by the guy who made a huge deal promising it.

Well, except for First Nations. He doesn't want them responsible for the money we give them.

dialamah · December 16, 2015

The openness and transparency means Trudeau only want his government to appear this way,As always,the decisions will be made behind closed doors and

How can you say that when he's hardly had enough time to prove anything one way or the other? Harper promised an open government and didn't even try; this government promised and so far, is carrying out that promise. Why aren't you willing to let himself prove himself?

I think it's pretty clear that Trudeau will take his marching orders from far left progressives.

Well if true, that's ok with me. As long as it's not huge, multi-national corporations or conservative Christian groups.

I know why morale would be higher in the public service now.It's because the era of big spending,wasteful,bloated government is back in force.Trudeau will take the same path as Kathleene Wynne,we in Ontario know how that is working out.

My friend spoke of "morale", as in a more relaxed and hopeful environment, and the feeling that what they are directed to do would be supported in spirit by the government, instead of undermined through policy and criticism. This isn't, for her, a money issue, but strictly a morale issue. I suggest that unless you work in the Federal gov't and in the same ministry as my friend, you can hardly define what constitutes improved morale for them.

Edited December 16, 2015 by dialamah

eyeball · December 16, 2015

Well if true, that's ok with me. As long as it's not huge, multi-national corporations

It will be if the Liberal Party's management of our fisheries in the past is anything to go by.

fred68 · December 16, 2015

this far left Liberal government is still in the honeymoon stage which I admit,will be a very long honeymoon given the love and admiration from the mainstream media?

Far left government??? LOLOL. What country do you think we live in if you think this is a far left government? Is he pushing for a much talked about increase in the minimum wage? NO. Is pushing for more labour laws? No. Is he calling for taxes for those middle class 45,000 - 100,000 to pay their fare share like many on the Canadian left historically have done? Not even close. This PM isn't even close to Canadian far left wing.

If you were speaking on a an American political scale, you'd have a point, but we live in Canada, a completely different country, with completely different economics. How far right wing and completely out of touch with most of Canada do you have to be to believe that this government is far left wing? My gosh. This is a centre to centre left government at most in Canadian historical terms.

MSM? Really. Is this board Fox News or the Rush Limbaugh show now? Take your far right wing rhetoric someplace else. That's just embarrassing. Most conservatives I know in the east watch CBC are are very happy with it. The far far right wingers. Ya, they miss their Sun News Channel, but there weren't enough of them to keep it alive, were there? Why are so many brainwashed American freaks on these boards lately?

Welcome to Canada. Let us know if you ever get here. It's a pretty nice place.

bush_cheney2004 · December 16, 2015

.... Why are so many brainwashed American freaks on these boards lately?

Welcome to Canada. Let us know if you ever get here. It's a pretty nice place.

Actually, this place is in the United States, where Canadians seek lots of media to consume. PM Trudeau and his Liberals are solidly behind that too (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).

On Guard for Thee · December 16, 2015

Actually, this place is in the United States, where Canadians seek lots of media to consume. PM Trudeau and his Liberals are solidly behind that too (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).

Says he who continues to believe the CBC is government controlled.

ReeferMadness · December 16, 2015

Far left government??? LOLOL. What country do you think we live in if you think this is a far left government? Is he pushing for a much talked about increase in the minimum wage? NO. Is pushing for more labour laws? No. Is he calling for taxes for those middle class 45,000 - 100,000 to pay their fare share like many on the Canadian left historically have done? Not even close. This PM isn't even close to Canadian far left wing.

If you were speaking on a an American political scale, you'd have a point, but we live in Canada, a completely different country, with completely different economics. How far right wing and completely out of touch with most of Canada do you have to be to believe that this government is far left wing? My gosh. This is a centre to centre left government at most in Canadian historical terms.

It's funny how far the economic politics across the western world have moved to the right over the past 4 decades. Today, you don't even have to pretend to care about the poor and you can still be accused of being "far left".