Back to Blog
20 Nov

CANADIAN GOV’T TAX ‘HYPOCRISY’ MUST END!

General

Posted by: Tracy Luciani Price

It’s the Rich and Powerful versus the rest of us folks!
Remember the Panama Papers revelations last year that revealed names of top government officials, heads of corporations and yes heads of state as well? Now it about the Paradise Papers.
Remember the controversy earlier this year uncovered by CBC Marketplace involving thousands of bank employees who couldn’t take it anymore spilling their guts about sinister bank practices and policies designed to gouge customers without their knowledge? Remember the promise for federal inquiries on these that just faded into obscurity?
Remember the bad press exposing bank collateral mortgages, punitive mortgage penalties and post claim underwriting bank insurance designed (manipulated) to deny any and all claims?
In the end it seems the controversy dies down from boil to simmer and then disappears altogether as though nothing ever happened?
Ed Broadbent in today’s (Nov13/17) Toronto Star is stirring the pot about unjust tax evasion by the rich. Thank you, Ed for being forthright. Now how about our area elected MP’s to do the same and express their views on this subject?
Broadbent a prominent politician for years and former leader of the NDP Party felt compelled to write about the dire need for tax reform. The views he expressed ring true about how the rich are legally allowed, through special tax avoidance legislation, to NOT PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES.
This ugly reality he says “Undermines Democracy; starves social programs and public services; increases after tax income and wealth inequality, concentrating economic resources in the hands of the few.
TRUDEAU AND HIS BUD MORNEAU are now at the height of this hypocrisy as part of the wealthiest one per cent of the population who have offshore family trusts which should be illegal.
The tax avoidance method of choice for CEO’s, investment bankers and senior executives of big corporations is stock options versus salaries because stock options have a low very favourable tax rate.
Such ‘one sided’ and partial tax legislation has for years been passed without a whimper from the public because there has been no broad review in which citizens could participate. It’s just not right is it?
In their 2015 election platform, the Liberals promised to “conduct a review of all tax expenditures to target loopholes that particularly benefit the top 1 per cent.” We have seen no action on this whatsoever.  Trudeau had and still appears to have no intention of undertaking such a review.
While we are at it, it might also be a good idea to include discussion about unfair bank practices which take advantage of consumers (huge injustice) without their knowledge or consent.
Nothing will happen unless there is a widespread unrest by the masses which in turn forces government to introduce major tax reform to make the system fairer and transparent.
We the people have the ultimate power to cause (rapid) change. Just look to the sudden collapse of the Berlin Wall as one example.
Are you as fed up as we are and cannot take it anymore? Then please comment on our Facebook page and let’s generate the momentum needed to take this cause further.