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FAMILIES DEPRIVED, WHILE THE LIBERAL GOVERNMENT ENJOYS OUR TAXES

A Toronto Dominion Bank Study revealed that Canadian families' take-home pay since 1989, a period of 15 years - has remained virtually unchanged - rising only a minuscule 3.6%. This has occurred even though Canada's Gross National Product (GNP) rose 25.5% during that period. Families today are desperately trying to stay afloat. They have been forced into having two-incomes which leads to more hours of work and less family time - but with nothing to show for all this stress and effort. How has all this happened? This has occurred because families' tax burden has grown each year. That is, the Canadian taxpayer is being gouged by a greedy government because as fast as families make money, the government takes it away.

The February 23, 2005 budget was more of the same. The minority Liberal Government has amassed a $14 billion surplus with which to finance an array of commitments, including $700 million for day care, (part of the $5 billion over 5 year promised in the last election), environment, ($5 billion), the military ($12.8 billion over five years), $3.4 billion increase in foreign aid and even a personal income tax cut.

That's what the budget says on paper - but it has a catch. The 2005 budget is a virtual budget only, i.e. an illusory one. This is due to the fact that the government is holding back payment on its pledges with only token payments during the first few years and then the biggest payments back loaded until 2007 or 2008. For example, the $13 billion allotted to the military includes only approximately $3 billion paid out in the first few years. The military will have to wait until the year 2009 and beyond for the remaining $10 billion of its money. Incredibly, one third of the new money budgeted will have to be returned to the government as "savings" on the operation of the department. As a result, this "increase" won't even cover the budgetary shortfall that the forces have suffered in the past three years due to their being overextended on peacekeeping and anti-terrorism missions overseas. Forget new helicopters, transport ships and pay raises for uniformed personnel - they won't materialize.

The Liberals' contempt for the taxpayer was also made obvious by this budget. This is due to the fact that the much-touted boost in basic personal tax exemption provides that the exemption will rise to $10,000, but it won't start to take effect until 2006. This increase means a savings of $16.00 per year starting in 2006 and rising to $192.00 in 2009 when the phase-in period ends. It should be pointed out that this highly touted tax break amounts to a stunning 31¢ per week in personal tax cuts, soaring to 62¢ per week in 2007.

Similarly, Canada's poorest seniors have their guaranteed income supplement increased by a whopping 38¢ per week. To say that the government is not generous is rather an understatement.

What is also infuriating about our heavy taxation is the fact that the government has stashed away $9 billion in tax money into secretive foundations. This has occurred since 1997, when the government began transferring money into foundations that are beyond the reach of parliamentary watchdogs. As a result, even though this money belongs to the taxpayer, Auditor General, Sheila Fraser has not been able to audit these funds since they have been salted away out of her reach. The notorious Court Challenges Programme, which funds homosexual/feminist legal challenges, is one among many such foundations which remain beyond the reach of the curious. These separate, independent, arms-length foundations of the government meddle in public policy, but Parliament has no mechanism to rein them in. Of course this is why the Liberal Government established these foundations in the first place.

In summary, the Liberal Government proclaims its grandiose plans, reaps the favourable publicity, but, then doesn't have to necessarily honour its obligations because the big money allotments only take effect several years down the road. By then there will probably be a new government (the next federal election is expected in 2006) and a changed economy so that the Liberal Government probably won't even have to pay up. The government also salts away billions of our tax dollars into foundations with no way of auditing them. How convenient for the government and how difficult for families who must continue to pay heavy taxes, which deprive them of income so desperately needed to raise their children.

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