Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management

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Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management By: Paul Young, CPA, CGA March 11, 2016

Transcript of Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management

Page 1: Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management

Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management

By: Paul Young, CPA, CGAMarch 11, 2016

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Disclaimer

• This presentation is one view of the economy is one opinion as such should be not viewed as they only opinion

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Paul Young - Presenter

Bio• CPA/CGA• 25 years of experience in Academia, Industry and Financial solutions• Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAArky1bAXPSuV2NLtUnyLg

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Agenda

• Growth Rates• GDP• Government Policies• Private Sector• Labour Market • Household Debt

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Blog to Liberal Party/Ralph Goodale

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Liberal Party – 2015 Election• Letter to Ralph Goodale • Mr. Goodale has certain aspect right on spending with the transfers

being pumped under LPC watch. However, Mr. Goodale is not right when it comes to all aspect of spending, especially since the austerity measures in the 1990s would pushed out spending to future periods. 

• Harper took over as official government on February 5, 2006. The house was in a minority parliament as Paul Martin just left office. The CPC first annual report was 2006-2007 -http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Compilations/FederalGovernment/PrimeMinisters/Gallery.aspx

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Liberal Party – 2015 Election• Harper took a hard look at funding social programs starting in 2007-2008 (link: http://www.fin.gc.ca/afr-rfa/2008/afr2008_e.pdf)  – see page 13• USA economy growth rates on average are 2% as compare to 4% in the 1990s. http://www.statista.com/statistics/188165/annual-gdp-growth-of-the-united-states-since-1990/. LPC comments

that Harper has been poor manager of the economy and yet nothing on USA Growth rates. USA still has not totally recover from housing bubble or stagnation with the middle class: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102438557. USA is Trade has been rebounding, but the problem is the lack of capacity for exports in key provinces like Ontario and PQ: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/gblec02a-eng.htm

• 2008-2009 there was world-wide global recession which forced Harper and his government to spend on a stimulus. Both the LPC and NDP claim the stimulus was not enough it terms of helping the economy:http://www.thestar.com/business/2009/02/06/stimulus_not_enough_liberals.html. It is funny how Mr. Goodale recently made posts that CPC had been poor on managing the finances, but says little on how LPC asked for more money

• Mr. Harper increases transfers to the provinces by 50% over the past 8+ years. The provinces have more money for education/healthcare than at any point of time in the past 20+ years. In the 1990s the LPC cut transfers to the provinces, but nothing is said, why? http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/canada-deficit or http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/provincial-transfers-and-program-spending. The opposition parties like the LPC or NDP are good at saying healthcare will see $36B less in money, but say little how healthcare delivery by various provinces has gotten worst over the past 10+ years, why? The PBO report never look at delivery, but felt it is just a funding issue: http://www.bloomberg.com/visual-data/best-and-worst//most-efficient-health-care-2014-countries.

• Neither the LPC nor NDP discuss either the Build Canada or Gas Tax fund, why? Goodale did say the Build Canada fund is not working, but he never ever said that infrastructure projects carry over to multiple years, why?http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/municipalities-canada. BTW: What party brought up CPPIB could be used to finance infrastructure projects? http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/01/23/kelly-mcparland-justin-trudeaus-hidden-agenda/. Did the LPC not raid EI in the 1990s? http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/martin-defends-employment-insurance-surplus-1.164131

• Mr. Harper continues to provide different programs that either existed under the LPC or were revamped under his watch. Mr. Goodale was quoted as saying his party introduced SDTC, but never says how that program benefited green technology, why? http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/federal-government-programs-canada or http://www.hazmatmag.com/remediation/federal-budget-supports-environmental-technology-contaminated-site-cleanup/1000016105/ . So, where does SDTC or Next Generation Fuel Funds stand with either the NDP or LPC?

• LPC never talks about issues with provincial policies, why? The LPC is great saying it is all about money, but really they never once said how mining regulations or skills trades or power rates or carbon taxes or other policies are impacting business investment, why? http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/manufacturing/mpp-chan-says-exporting-priority-ontario-liberals-142867/  or http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/ontario-drives-manufacturers-away-with-overpriced-electricity/article14854752/ . It is never one policy that hurts business, so why is more not being said by the LPC? CPC have done great taxation, investment/trade/etc. or basically federal policies!http://www.kpmg.com/ca/en/issuesandinsights/articlespublications/press-releases/pages/canada-remains-most-competitive-business-tax-environment.aspx  or http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/key-market-and-industry-indicators-for-canada-january-2015. The LPO has also said the AG sector is important, but yet their policies have failed that sector: http://www.ofa.on.ca/media/news/connecting-with-cabinet-is-first-order-of-business

• Trudeau - http://business.financialpost.com/fp-comment/terence-corcoran-finance-minister-joe-oliver-has-it-right• Mulcair Corporate Taxation - http://www.macleans.ca/economy/business/tom-mulcairs-idea-on-corporate-taxes-sounds-scary/• Paul Martin - https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/beware-canadian-austerity-model. Justin Trudeau talks about Harper being a poor fiscal manager, but never once discusses

the economic growth trends, why?http://www.multpl.com/us-gdp-growth-rate/table/by-year

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Growth Rates by year and by Economy1. Canada had the best

economic growth rates of the G7 countries

2. Demographic shift – baby boomers moving to retirement

3. US Economy was the last major economy to come out of the recession

4. China growth down 36% and is now running at 6.2% range – Canada two way trade with China is $31B

5. 1990s were low dollar and strong US economy.

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Canada GDP by year and province

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Growth Rates by industry

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Key Comments

Facts:1. 2008-2009 recession seen large drop in GDP2. Canada has recovered jobs and GDP3. Canada fell less that any other country in G-74. 1990s growth rates were led by the baby boomers

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Election 2015• The election of campaign of 2015 discussed labor market including jobs that were

precarious.

• Here is a comment from the now finance minister” Finance Minister Bill Morneau says Canadians should get used to so-called "job churn" -- short-term employment and a number of career changes in a person's life.

• Morneau made the comment on Saturday at a meeting of the federal Liberal Party's Ontario wing, days before he's scheduled to deliver a fall economic update.

• The remark also comes just three days after the Bank of Canada delivered bad news for the economy, downgrading the country's growth outlook yet again.

• Source http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/get-used-to-job-churn-morneau-tells-liberal-meeting-1.3126992

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Labour Market – Government Policies

Government can influence hiring by their taxation policies and other policies1. Payroll Taxation 2. WSIB3. Carbon Taxation4. Minimum Wage Hikes5. Hydro rates Business will response to changes to through combination of efforts:6. Raising Prices7. Scaling back hours8. Laying off staff9. Consolidation of operations

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• It is funny how you attack my threads that show detail links, right? It seems to me that my posts are backup with links to presentation that are tied back to comments made by different business sources.

• http://globalnews.ca/news/2169728/reality-check-are-canadas-newly-created-jobs-part-time-precarious-and-low-paid/• Fact 1 – Employment – All I see from your comments is opinion and no facts. It seems you call me a troll, right? The only reason people call me a troll is they cannot

defend their opinion with facts, right? Let me crunch a few things based on the below links – • Since 2010 there has been 722K full-time jobs and 118K part-time jobs created in Canada. So, 86% of the new jobs are full-time. So, where is the 80% number

you quoting coming from in terms of its accuracy?• The main sector of growth are the following sectors

• Accommodation/food services approximately 98K• Healthcare approximately 249K – this ties to more money being spent on healthcare by provinces to support need for additional services • Professional jobs approximately 170K• Construction approximately 220K – does this not benefit skill trades and tied to the housing market being solid in Canada• Summary:

• The bulk of jobs are in areas that pay good salaries. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor93a-eng.htm. The only sector that would see the bulk of minimum wage would be accommodation/services.

• Food/Services jobs are created due to people spending money on meals and entertainment and travel - http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/trad15a-eng.htm or https://www.restaurantscanada.org/Portals/0/Non-Member/2015/restaurantoutlooksurvey_2015_q1.pdf

• Source: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/economics/hot_eco_topics/default/13-11-05/which_industries_are_creating_jobs.aspx• http://www.conferenceboard.ca/economics/hot_eco_topics/default/13-11-05/which_industries_are_creating_jobs.aspx• http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/econ10-eng.htm

My Labour Blog response to Mark Whyte

Source: Facebook / Election 2015 Blog

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Cont. • Ontario has its’ own issue, but they are not driven by federal policies. They are from bad policies, like FIT or

Regulations or other bad policies. So, I guess comments from the following people are wrong, right? http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ontario-policies-could-put-auto-making-at-risk-fiat-chrysler-ceo-warns/article25418311/ (Is this guy wrong?) or why did Cliff Resources pull out (http://www.baytoday.ca/content/news/details.asp?c=73707) or How do you think ORPP is going to impact business (http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/06/02/business-warns-against-wynnes-pension-plan.html)

• Canada has one of the strongest middle class in the world, but no comment. Here are facts/videos on the middle class - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqLDHQ-iJU8 (is this a lie? or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOl37VcG89c (is this a lie? - http://globalnews.ca/.../tax-cuts-since-2005-net.../ (is this a lie?) Or http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/taxation-policies (are my slides 8-11 wrong).

• Do you have issues with C377, if so why? C377 ensure hardworking union members received more transparency on how dues are to be spent. http://cupe.ca/fact-sheet-union-dues-and-rand-formula. It seems me that dues should be used as part of the collective bargaining agreement and/or skills development or strike funds, right? Yet many unions use the dues to attack the government, right? http://www.therebel.media/we_fact_check_unifor_s_anti_harper_ad.

• I get the sense from your comments that you are bitter at harper likely that you have been sold a bill of goods from either your union or Mulcair.

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Employment Outlook for 2016

1. Canadian Government new policy on Carbon Taxation will have impact on FDI and the labor market

2. Planned CPP hikes will impact small business. Small business may cut hours, jobs and/or freeze pay.

3. Slow Growth is predicted for the Canadian Economy.

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Household Debt• Where is the bank of Canada on reforms?

https://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/comment/CanadianSchembriSpeech_Feb2016.pdf• Banks need to do better assessment of proper valuation including look at income growth, cost of housing, mortgage based on

taxable income, etc. (how banks starting policing themselves with proper policy on valuation?)• There is movement on credit card fees -

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bank-fee-outcry-unites-consumers-and-even-politicians-1.3098400• How about the schools make financial planning and taxation course mandatory as part of the Secondary diploma granting

process? (who is responsible for education?)• How about the schools promote people going into careers that have better opportunities for jobs (who is pushing kids to careers

that have limited or low income prospects) – FYI – This relates to student debt!• Harper/Flaherty changes the mortgage rules -

http://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/mortgages-real-estate/ottawa-cuts-mortgage-amortizations-to-25-years• Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuuSBN9V7r4 • Myths – Household Debt - http://globalnews.ca/news/1889329/canadians-net-wealth-hits-new-highs-debt-bubble-a-myth-experts/ • A http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/stephen-poloz-says-bank-of-canada-not-responsible-for-record-debt-1.3268738. People need

to take responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming the government for their distress. • BMO Myths - http://www.bmonesbittburns.com/economics/focus/20150227/feature.pdf 

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Government Role

• Government Policies• Government Spending• Government Taxation

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Government role in the Economy• Trade/FIPA Policies

• Exports/Imports

• Regulations• Environment assessment• Provincial Policies (hydro rates and natural resources)

• Taxation Policies• Corporate Taxation• Payroll Taxation• Consumption Taxation

• Infrastructure spending• Money for transit, roads, bridges and other projects

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Debt and Deficits• There is a lot of talk about $13B surplus that Harper inherited when he took office in February 6, 2006. The LPC statement is true there was a surplus, but what is not being stated is

the following:• Provincial Transfers went from $41.9B in 2006 to 60.1B in 2013. Transfers are averaging about 3.4% over the past 8 years. There will be argument that the last budget/annual report

by LPC the transfers were 3.6% of GDP. Per my discussion with Mr. Goodale was that he restored the transfers as such there likely was a spike up to cover years of neglect. I reviewed the 2004 annual report and the transfers were about 30B.

• The government also made tax cuts to help the GDP by allowing more people to spend money. It is consumer spending that drives the economy as such the tax cuts help circulate money into the economy. http://globalnews.ca/news/1356467/tax-cuts-since-2005-net-canadians-30b-pbo/ or http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil130a-eng.htm.

• I could also go into the dedicated moneys of $70B for infrastructure as that is also part of the surplus management: The Federal government has committed $70B to the provinces and territories over 10 years for infrastructure spending. http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/pub/infra/gtf-fte/gtf-fte-2013-eng.html or http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/alt-format/pdf/RPP-2014-2015-eng.pdf.

•  • Program spending has also dropped to 13.5% of GDP the lowest level in 10+ years. Harper continues to keep the lid on growth on program expense. Yet Harper still has put $25B more

into direct program spending from the levels under The LPC. I am sure the LPC supporters will say that he has gutted programs, i.e. Veterans, OAS, low income, etc.  • Accumulated Deficit growth has slowed due to growing economy and measures by the government to managed the deficits over the past several years. Canada was running

accumulated deficit of GDP at 41% in 2006 to 33.1 in 2013. Yes, the GDP is higher, but it does show that harper managed to slow the deficit growth over the past few years.• Revenue of GDP was 20.1% under Martin, but now is 14% under Harper. Harper and his government has made changes to tax policies to put more money into people’s pocket as such

the overall corporate/personal tax revenue went from 132B in 2006 to 166B in 2013. The growth of revenue show that the economy has performed well despite the major recession in 2008-2009.

• Corporate Tax Revenue http://www.fin.gc.ca/afr-rfa/2014/afr-rfa-eng.pdf. Corporate Tax revenue is $36B and the feds are schedule to balance the budget in 2015. • Debt to GDP is the lowest in the G-8 at 40%. Debt to GDP is about where it was back when Martin was in power in early 2000s. • Harper has kept taxes down, but put money back into program spending. (see links to below presentation)• Harper is not responsible for provinces introducing the health premium, carbon taxes, etc. Harper has up the transfers to provinces and yet nothing is said on that work, why? • So, the argument could be that part of the surplus was return by upping the transfers to the province as well as putting more money into taxpayers pocket to spurn consumer spending.

The LPC likes to say the surplus was blown, but the reality the surplus was re-allocated to support economic measures.

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Debt and Deficits• Source: http://www.fin.gc.ca/afr-rfa/2013/afr-rfa-eng.pdf• Source: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/econ04-eng.htm• Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/gdp• Source: http://www.nationalchildbenefit.ca/eng/06/chap1.shtml• Source: http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp• Source: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/consumer-spending• Source: http://www.budget.gc.ca/efp-peb/2014/pub/chap03-eng.html• Source: Presentation - http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/provincial-transfers-and-program-spending• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/harper-policies-analysis• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/first-nation-funding• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/internal-trade-canada• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/military-spending-for-canada• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/municipalities-canada• I can provide more evidence on what lapsing funds are in terms of a government tool as part of the fiscal management cycle.

LPC used lapsing funds in the 1990s along with cuts to various departments. You seem to ignore the cuts in the 1990s, why • Source: Liberal Party demanded more stimulus: http://business.financialpost.com/2010/09/22/this-cant-go-on/• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/military-spending-for-canada • Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/canada-green-technology-stats• Source: http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/canada-deficit

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Key areas of focus

• Government• Private Sector

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Private Sector• Link: http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/financing/manufacturers-unwillingness-

to-invest-could-derail-canadas-economic-momentum-169029/

• 1. Ontario's bad policies towards cap and trade, hydro rates are deterring investments• 2. Companies are going through struggle with costs and slow growth. Companies have

to watch their cash flow, but this article misses that point.• 3. The report misses the point that we need to be able to move to goods to market via

expansion of pipelines, rail, ports, roads, bridges

• 4. US is growing, but is sluggish. Retail sales which is a driver of the economy is only growing at 2.1% annually - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzBFIxFy5Fo 

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Government Failures

• Relying on Keynesian economics• Over stimulating the economy

• Picking and choosing market winners via grants or bailouts• Business that have poor business models should not be bailed out

• High deficits/high debt• Failures to keep government costs under control• Value for money• Growing the size of government

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Middle Class

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Who is the middle class

• Individuals who fall between the working class and the upper class within a societal hierarchy. In Western cultures, persons in the middle class tend to have a higher proportion of college degrees than those in the working class, have more income available for consumption and may own property. Those in the middle class often are employed as professionals, managers and civil servants.

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Canada Middle Class

• 1980

• 2013

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Income Growth

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Middle class quotes

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Household Spending

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CPC/Tax CutsLow Income Canadians

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Comments/Middle Class• NDP and Liberal Comments - http://www.torontosun.com/2015/08/15/trudeau-and-mulcair-selling-a-fantasy-to-the-middle-class or

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-speech-chamber-commerce-1.3513939 • I hear the same comments that Harper has killed the middle class when it is has been bad provincial policies led by various provincial government that felt social

policy at all costs is the solution to run their various budgets. Here are facts/videos on the middle class - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqLDHQ-iJU8 (is this a lie? or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOl37VcG89c (is this a lie? - http://globalnews.ca/.../tax-cuts-since-2005-net.../ (is this a lie?) or http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/taxation-policies (are my slides 8-11 wrong).

• I hear that the above information is wrong, but no one refutes that my information is wrong via providing facts that support socialism is working in Canada. • BTW: Hiking the corporation tax to 18-22% range will add 2-8% more to cost of your iPhone, iPad, Clothes, transit passes, food, beer, wine, etc.

http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/corporation-taxation-canada-44675640. BTW – Where does Mulcair stand on Corporate tax? Oops, Mulcair cannot remember the rate: http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/financing/ndp-leader-mulcairs-corporate-tax-policy-needs-clarity-150026/. This about month old and we still have no response on rates, why?

• NDP/Economy - http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/b-c-economy-stagnates-under-ndp-rule-report • Justin Trudeau cannot even tell you who makes up the middle class - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WHIS3w4wn4 • How about childcare: http://www.iedm.org/fr/2821-quebecs-failed-child-care-model • I thought Harper is bad news, right? If so, how come Canada is one of the most admired countries in the world:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-ranked-as-most-admired-country-in-the-world-report-1.2470040 • Canada also has done well compared to its peers across the world - http://www.bmonesbittburns.com/economics/forecast/int/intmodel.pdf • Canada is seeing shift up the ladder in terms of income/wealth, but no comment, why?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/top-business-stories/canadians-scale-the-income-ladder-with-the-best-of-them/article25533315/?click=sf_globefb

• Remind me again why we should change to either Mulcair or Trudeau government as the facts do not align with their policies! http://www.torontosun.com/2015/08/15/trudeau-and-mulcair-selling-a-fantasy-to-the-middle-class

• FYI – Canada is still one of the best countries in the world - http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canada-named-the-country-with-the-best-reputation-by-global-survey-again or https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/canada-tops-the-world-as-most-reputable-country-021908756.html

• FYI – Taxing the richest - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/higher-taxes-on-rich-may-miss-revenue-targets-experts-say-1.3031842 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pICUvNi95AY

• FYI – Liberal Platform - http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/kelly-mcparland-liberal-release-budget-plan-now-they-need-to-hope-no-one-reads-it • FYI – CPC/Fiscal Management - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyOaeBYV6w • FYI – Harper has no control over areas like hydro rates - http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-4.html

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Top 1% tax bracket

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Issues facing Canadians

• Carbon pricing (Federally and Provincially)• ORPP (Ontario Register Pension Plan)• Hydro Rates (Provincial Jurisdiction)• CPP Hikes• HST/PST increases• Slow wage growth

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Standard of living

• http://uk.businessinsider.com/19-countries-with-the-highest-standard-of-life-according-to-the-social-progress-report-2016-6

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Scandinavia vs- Canada • People constantly are saying well look at Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland and they have great social programs and strong economies. So,

why cannot Canada have the same that is higher taxes and more commitment to Social Programs? • Canada is joined at the hip with the USA as such has to be competitive with United States on costs. Payroll taxes are costs for business as such they

have kept in check . Canada’s economy is driven by commodities, like oil, natural gas, precious metals, agriculture, etc. as such has to depend on exports. Exports account for 1/3 of GDP and are growing at 4% clip each year

• Scandinavia countries are very expensive for business: http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/australia-the-most-expensive-country-in-the-g20-20140512-3846v.html. Some Swedish companies are re-looking at their investment due to the high cost: http://www.bcg.com/media/pressreleasedetails.aspx?id=tcm:12-141488

• Canada competitiveness as slipped, but some of that slipped has to do with bad polices at the provincial level: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/press/newsrelease/13-09-04/canada_ranks_14th_in_global_competitiveness_for_the_second_consecutive_year.aspx. Ontario has drove business out with more regulations as well as high power costs!

• Canada commitment to social programs: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/government-social-spending_20743904-table1. You will notice that Harper’s government continue put money into social programs.

• Harper has increase the transfers for education as such money has flown to post-secondary education by the provinces: http://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/news/2014/oecd-report/

• Neither LPC and/or Conservatives have had much success on R&D and that has to change. http://academica.ca/top-ten/lack-rd-spending-hurts-canada-wef-rankings. Justin Trudeau talks about increase funding for education via his website, but says little on how that funding would be applied, i.e. more spots or R&D grants or other programs. SDTC has help with technology, but more is required - http://www.sdtc.ca/uploads/2014/SDTC_2014%20Corporate_E_Executive_Summary_V1_%28V6b%29_SSL_291013.pdf. Harper has done well on the tax file: http://www.kpmg.com/ca/en/issuesandinsights/articlespublications/press-releases/pages/canada-remains-most-competitive-business-tax-environment.aspx. It is unclear why the LPC will do on business taxes!

• Education - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/finland-schools-subjects-are-out-and-topics-are-in-as-country-reforms-its-education-system-10123911.html

• VAT - http://www.skatteetaten.no/en/Bedrift-og-organisasjon/Merverdiavgift/Guide-to-Value-Added-Tax-in-Norway/?chapter=3730#kapitteltekst• http://sustainability.thomsonreuters.com/2014/05/11/end-oil-boom-threatens-norways-welfare-model/. Norway has AG sector, but little else as

compare to Canada that has MFG, food processing, lumber, fishing, etc. • Norway debt to GDP http://www.tradingeconomics.com/norway/government-debt-to-gdp is at 29• Argument against Norway - http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/why-norway-is-a-bs-argument-for-higher-taxes-8235/

Page 37: Prime Minister - Stephen Harper – Fiscal Management

Other sources:• Top Earner -

http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/wealthiest-income-earners-in-canada-taxation-and-income-redistributiion

• Guarantee Income - http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/government-policy-guarantee-income-canada

• Income inequality - http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/government-policy-income-inequality-canada

• Scandinavia vs- Canada - http://www.slideshare.net/paulyoungcga/scandinavia-vs-canada-analysis-of-social-and-economic-policies