Before we buy boatloads of new infrastructure in Canada, we should ask why current infrastructure is crumbling.
Government Spending & Taxes
When tax rates are increased, tax filers—especially upper-income earners—are able to find legal means to mitigate those tax increases.
Let’s look at the expected fiscal balances in Canada’s 10 provinces for 2015/16.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark recently said that another plebiscite would be required if Metro Vancouver municipal governments want a new tax to fund a transit-heavy capital plan.
The need for infrastructure spending in Canada is getting a lot of attention this election, with all the parties presenting platform planks on the amounts they would spend.
The current election campaign has seen a lot of attention focused on balancing the federal budget and the size of the federal deficit. Perhaps some historical perspective will better inform the debate.
This fiscal year, Canada's federal government will send more than $68 billion in transfer payments to the provinces.
While all three party leaders tried to assure us that they are best able to guide us through an uncertain economic world, all missed the fundamental point that Canada is a small open economy.
One of Canada’s most important positive policy reforms over the past 15 years has been on corporate taxes.
Deficits and debt, uncompetitive personal income tax rates, and the decline in business start-ups.
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