blesser Wrote:Yeah I actually did read that report, and you are a tool. I don't see how it is, in any way, relevant to the Conservative platform.
well i'll spell it out for you.
Determinants of Health:
The Social Gradient
Stress
Early Life
Social Exclusion
Work
Unemployment
Social Support
Addiction
Food
Transport
We need to take care of these things for everyone to be healthy. The conservatives obviously dont give a shit about any of this. For example, there are an obscene number of families living below the poverty line in canada. They are negatively affected by multiple determinants of health. perhaps if we looked after the things that cause illness in the first place (see above) we wouldnt be worrying about long lines for health care. its a fact that poor people are generally much much sicker (we're talking incidence of disease, uncommon diseases, lower life expectancy, etc) than those who are financially stable. these people rely on social programs to get by in life, and in many cases these programs are still inadequate. we are at a time when we need increased social spending. So when we cut taxes, at what expense are we doing so? these very social programs. here are all the tax cuts that harper has promised so far:
*Immediately cut the GST to 6 per cent; the tax would be reduced further to 5 per cent within five years. (In New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, the HST reduction will be the same: 1 per cent right away, and a further 1 per cent over five years.) Party says first cut would put "$4.5 billion back in the pockets of ordinary Canadians. "
*Reduce business, capital gains and payroll taxes, starting with lowering Employment Insurance premiums to the level necessary to pay for EI benefits
*Introduce tax relief, starting with reduced personal income tax rates
*Raise Basic Personal Exemption and Spousal Exemption under Income Tax Act
*Eliminate inequities between single and dual income families and introduce deduction for dependent children
*Reduce subsidies to for-profit businesses
*Reduce federal gas taxes conditional on an agreement with provinces and territories
*Cut or eliminate federal government fees, levies, taxes and rents, associated with national transportation system
*Establish program of tax credits to promote environmental solutions
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So which programs will suffer as a result of the decreased tax revenue? It seems very scary that we would be willing to let more and more people fall below the poverty line just so a few upper midle class citizens can get some extra cash. this gst cut is stupid because you save more when you spend more. it doesnt benefit the poor (the ones who need help the most) because they hardly spend any money as it is. of course it will greatly benefit anyone who goes out and makes a big purchase like a car or something.
we need to start looking after our less fortunate a little better.