income tax

10:00AM
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently announced his government will introduce income splitting for tax purposes at an annual cost of roughly $2 billion.


10:00AM
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“We want Quebecers to pay less tax and taxes,” said Quebec’s premier Philippe Couillard, in advance of recommendations from a special panel tasked to make the province’s tax system more competitive. The window for change appears to be opening, and the premier’s statement is a positive sign.


3:27PM
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If you asked average Canadian families what their largest expense is, many would probably say housing. And you can’t blame them. Mortgage and rental payments are a painful monthly reminder of how much we pay for this basic necessity.


6:00AM
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No one really thinks we should abolish all taxes. After all, how would governments fund important public services that form the foundation of our economy? Think of services like protecting property, building infrastructure, upholding the legal system, to name a few. The real debate is about the amount of taxes that governments extract from us given the services we get in return.


2:00AM
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Like other Canadians, you work hard for your money.

Faced with essential expenses such as food, clothing, and shelter, your household budget may feel squeezed. But what if we told you, your family's biggest expense is taxes?

Sure, you know how much you pay in income tax. After all, it's right there on your income tax return. In fact, income tax is the largest and most visible tax, taking $14 out of every $100 your family earns.

But that's just scratching the surface.


2:00AM
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"Income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf," said the American humourist Will Rogers. Indeed, but let’s not stop there. In Canada, debates over taxes, government and civilization lead some journalists and others into the land of make-believe, this by setting up straw men to knock down.

For example, consider a recent CBC story headlined "Not all business people hate taxes - but just try to get them to admit it."

To which one can only say: This is news?


2:00AM
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As Albertans approach another provincial budget, the usual fables about Alberta's finances often crop up. To inoculate ourselves in advance, let's ponder two myths.

Myth Number One: Alberta's wealth is a result of luck.

This tall tale assumes that the existence of natural resources automatically results in wealth creation, jobs, and a higher standard of living. That's hardly the case. Plenty of jurisdictions have little in the way of natural resources but prosper, while others have plentiful natural resources yet flounder.