Taxed up the wahzoo!

In Thursday August 25, 2005 Calgary Sun I read a good article by John Williamson. He's the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. I couldn't find the article on the Sun's website so I'll write it down word for word; enjoy.....

Titled: "PM refusal giving gas pains"

Paul Martin dug in his heels this week and ruled out lowering gasoline taxes. Canadians will continue to pay through the nose for gas thanks to high oil prices and fuel taxes, which account for one third of the pump price.
Prices now average more than one dollar per litre -- meaning 33 cents is tax -- and family budgets are being squeezed. Yet according to the Prime Minister the price hike does not mean more tax revenue for Ottawa because with higher prices consumption falls.
"The federal government does not make money from increasing gas prices," he told reporters Monday with a straight face. This is not true. For every 10 cent/litre jump in pump prices an additional $175-million in GST revenue flows into Ottawa's coffers. Gas prices are up approximately 20 cents over 2004 levels.
As for the suggestion that gas consumption falls with price spikes, Mr. Martin knows better.
According to Statistics Canada, gasoline sales increase at an average rate of just over 1% a year.
In 1985 retail slaes were 32-billion litres and last year sales exceeded 40-billion litres. Higher gas prices mean consumers have less savings or disposable income to purchase other goods and services.
Mr. Martin's other line of defence against reducing taxes is that the revenue is going to cash-strapped cities and lowering taxes will endanger this funding.
This is absurd. Over the next five years Ottawa will provide $5 billion to cities and communities.
According to the 2005 budget, the funding transfer is $600 million this year and will increase to $2 billion -- equivalent to a third of total gas tax revenues -- in 2009.
Budget estimates pegged total fuel tax revenues from the 10 cent/litre excise tax at $4.68 billion this year.
GST revenues will add another $1.35-billion. Ottawa's total take is projected to be $6-billion this year. Once the gas transfer is deducted Ottawa will be left with $5.4-billion.
Even after Ottawa transfers a generous $2-billion to cities in 2009 more than $4 billion will remain in the governments kitty. All told, Ottawa will relocate $5 billion to municipalities over the next five year and collect an eye popping $30-billion from motorists.
The difference between gas revenues and the gas tax transfer is a staggering $25 billion -- a cushion so large it leaves taxpayers to wonder if the Prime Minister is mocking them when he says he cannot reduce gas taxes.
But then, the federal government seems generally unconcerned about the welfare of the average taxpayer. How can Liberal MP's, for example, defend charging motorists the 1.5 cent a litre "deficit elimination" gas tax when the deficit vanished seven lomg years ago? Why do they continue to charge taxpayers for something -- i.e. the deficit -- that does not exist?
Why is GST charged on the total pump price, gas tax included? This tax-on-tax scam, on average, adds another penny-and-a-half to pump prices. (In New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland & Labrador the 15% HST adds a stunning 3.8 cents per litre!)
Canadians cannot control the world price of oil, but there is plenty that can be done to reduce fuel taxes. A 3 cent/litre reduction will return $1.2-billion to motorists and a 5 cent/litre cut will pump $2-billion back to taxpayers. Even with such a modest gas tax reduction the federal government will still collect billions of dollars in fuel tax revenues eaxch year.
Mr. Martin, you have no more excuses.



Well there you have it, I would think a change in federal government could be coming up. But I'm not holding my breath. I find it suprising that the maritimes continue to support the Liberals. It reminds me of the Simpsons----' you people are nothing but a group of fickle mush heads... "he's right, GIVE US HELL QUIMBY" ah, ah ah, I love GRIMBY!'
What a comedy of errors.

Un-fuckin-believable

On August 16th, 2005 at 7:10pm MST. I paid $20.00 canadian for 19.927 litres of regular unleaded gasoiline. that puts the price of a litre of gasoline of 1 dollar.
What the fuck is going on? Enough's enough. Now I understand gasoline prices are high all over the country. But their should be law prohibiting the price to go above 90 cents/per litre.
Of course I have no choice but to pay this high price. I live in a big city and a vehicle is a must. I'll try to cut down where I can. Unfortunately the oil companies and the governments have us all by the short and curlies. It probably wouldn't be so bad but the taxes are what really irks me. I believe the Canadian federal government puts a 10 cent/per litre tax, plus the Alberta provincial government puts a 7 cent/per litre tax. When us citizens complain each government points the finger at each other saying 'if they drop their tax we'll match it'. Of course this never happens.
The other day I heard from the Canadian Taxpayers Association that us Canadians are still paying a 1.5 cent/per litre deficit tax. Which was put into place in 1995 by the tax happy Liberanos. To reduce the deficit. Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Canada gone 4 or 5 straight years without a deficit. So this tax should be over, no?
Oh right this is Canada, the low income people have to pay for the rich politicians and their friends. Flying them all over the world. Plus, I guess we have to give some to Quebec, otherwise they might separate. Heaven forbid.
Oh, well. It's the price we pay, I guess, to live in this nice country. Now I know what it's like to be a homosexual. Everytime I go to gas up I get fucked up the ass. Man it hurts. The only positive is that it's good for the Alberta coffers. But I see the politicians taking a tidy sum, in the form of a raise. Simply for being in control at the right time. It's gonna happen. I wonder if Albertans will get a break in taxes, because of these outrageous prices. If not heads will roll, 'and you can take that to the bank'. (If you know what movie that line is from I'll send you $5 bucks. first correct answer wins. can you read my mind?)

New Governor General

Well, Adrienne Clarkson's reign as Governor General came to an end the other day. With our Prime Minister appointing Michelle Jean (I don't think I spelled it right). Now I don't really understand the purpose of this position and I hate how they spend our hard earned tax dollars on everything. But, it's Canada and we seem to do some things ass backwards. One interesting point I can't overlook is; 3 of the last 4 Governor Generals have been chosen from broadcasters. My concern is a free press is one of the cornerstones of democracy. How can the press be free when it's members are rewarded for their loyalty with political patronage appointments?

Liberals and Republicans not so different

I was reading the Comments section in the Calgary Sun the other day. It's one of my favourite sections to read, sports is #1, it offers different opinions to almost every issue. A lot of which a disagree with.
Anyways; after I read this article by Lorrie Goldstein it made me laugh. Check it out at www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Goldstein_Lorrie/2005/07/23/1144996.html
Not that I think Bush is a great man, a good man, or even a smart man. It's just funny how we as Canadians think were not like the Americans. Where we're more alike than you'd realize.
It's funny cause it's true.

GAME ON

On July 22, 2005 the National Hockey League and it's Player's Association came to an agreement on a Collective Bargaining Agreement. Ending a 310 day lockout/work stoppage. Whatever you want to call it. Hockey is the only professional sport to miss an entire season due to League and Union being unable to reach an working agreement. The League getting what it wanted and needed. With the Union, basically bending over backwards. Showing their intelligence, holding out for less money. Anyways that's in the past and it's time to move forward.
I'm glad it's back. I never realized how much I missed it until this year. Once the NFL was done there was nothing to watch during the winter season. It will be nice to see how the Calgary Flames play. There's been alot of changes since the last season. It seems forever since they were in the Stanley Cup finals.
They also held the NHL lottery draft. With the Pittsburgh Penguins winning first pick overall. Which they will no doubt draft Sidney Crosby. I think it's poetic justice. Mario Lemieux will, hopefully, pass the torch on to this future superstar. However; I still not convinced until he plays a few seasons, with no injuries. The Calgary Flames pick 26th overall.
The NHL also unveiled a new logo. I don't mind the diagonal slashs around the letters. But the background with no orange highlights. I'm not so sure. It' s going to be a new league, with new rule changes. Back to tag up offsides. The red line is going to be removed. A shoot-out to decide games, if ited after overtime. They're restricting the goalies equipment size and the space they can handle the puck in. Obstruction is going to be called consistently. As the players are also going to make a conscious effort to stop the obstruction. There are also a few other minor changes which you can check out at www.nhl.com.
A lot of things are going to happen in a short period of time. Including the draft which I believe is on August 5th, but i'm not positive. The regular season begins on October 5th, 2005. Just over 2 months to sign free agents, release players, have the draft, training camp and it's game on. I can't wait.

...and another reason

...and another reason why people from Edmonton are idiots. That's right folks I'm talking fucking stupid. Shit for brains is a proper description of these people. On Tuesday July 20, 2005. Michael White was charged with second degree murder and indignity to a dead body. At first he denied everything, saying he was innocent. Even going on national television and saying he didn't kill his pregnant wife. One week later, after her disappearance, he forms a search party. LOW AND BEHOLD he finds this dead body. Decaying for a few days. After the autopsy, BINGO, it's her and the cops arrest the husband.
Now, it's absolutely retarded to kill anyone in the first place. Let alone your 'expecting' wife that you're suppose to love. Only an asshole from Edmonton would say he didn't do it. Then lead the cops to the dead body where you dumped it. What a major fuck up he is. This is also assuming he's guilty because he's still innocent until proved guilty. But the cops are usually pretty good on these ones.
Unfortunately, these Edmontonians, we have to recognize them because they're in Alberta. But they're just the stupid red-headed step child. I'm sure there are some good, smart people in Edmonton. Only few and far between. Now I don't mean any ill harm towards these people. It's all in fun. Just another specific story to support my case. As far as Michael White is concerned. We'll see what happens.....

The Third way

On July 12, 2005 Ralph Klein and his Health Minister, Iris Evans, unveiled Alberta's "third way" to improve health care. Far be it for me to disagree with Ralphy boy and I won't. This has some good ideas to reduce waiting lists and we need all the help we can get to fix our struggling health care system.
Some of the highlights include; centralized booking for some surgery, make child car booster seats mandatory, consider tax incentives for healthy lifestyles, improve access to mental health services and testing, create an electronic health record, open primary health care centres where specialists can be reached directly, allow Albertans to carry secondary insurance to cover enhanced-care costs, and establish a virtual training campus for rural health providers.
I also think one very good point is that these ideas don't violate the Canada Health Act and it doesn't allow the rich to jump ahead in line. Even our federal health minister, Ujjal Dosanjh (close enough), says these are very good ideas. Plus Calgary's left-wing reporters, who ussually take every opportunity to shoot down Klein, were very mild in there comments toward Ralph's third way. Calling it a 2.1 way, instead of the third way they were all thinking.
Although we still need to watch this and I know our so called "friends of medicare" will be watching this like a hawk. It may be fine in the next 5 years, but should Alberta's redneck community vote in a more extreme right-wing government. This could get out of hand.
These changes won't take effect for some time as everything and everyone needs to prepare. But it will be interesting to see what unfolds in the weeks to come.