Poll

Let’s Talk Taxes

August 28, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: British Columbia Fewer new cars mean higher emissions down the road Last year, our premier stood with California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger and proclaimed his intention to save Mother Earth by lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in B.C. Besides slamming residents with a carbon tax, the premier planned to import California-style auto emission standards to achieve his GHG reduction goal. ...Full Article

August 27, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Alberta Increased private school funding a boon to public education The Alberta government's recent decision to increase the grant level for private school students (from 60 percent to 70 percent of the per student public school amount) has come under attack by some public school advocates, the teachers' union, and opposition MLAs. ...Full Article

August 20, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Ontario Ontario’s Carbon Policy Swamp Following the trail of government efforts to mitigate so-called ‘climate change’ is like chasing a will-o-the-wisp. In both cases the pursuit of elusive greenhouse gases leads one to get lost in the swampy bog. Ontario is tying to reduce emissions with a myriad of tangled and conflicting programs and taxes: a federal carbon tax; the Western Climate Initiative (including a carbon trading program); and a low carbon fuel standard are only the top of the long list. These programs will do little to curb greenhouse gas emissions, do much to harm the economy - and all play on eco-guilt by appearing to be ‘green’. ...Full Article

August 14, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Federal On with the show, this is it! (Looney Tunes Parliament) Federal politics is beginning to look a bit like the Looney Tunes. Stephen Harper has somehow held together a minority government since 2006 and is playing the crafty Road Runner. Stéphane Dion meanwhile is acting the hapless Coyote. The Opposition leader can't get a break and doesn't appear to understand why. Like the cartoon character he is caught between a rock and a hard place. ...Full Article

August 13, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: British Columbia Global warming hysteria volume to rise Newspaper, television, and radio ads in B.C. shout about the seriousness of global warming and how we must "do something" about it. What the citizens of B.C. might "do" came out last week in the premier's own Climate Action Team report. The shouting may soon turn to screaming because report concludes the government needs to "educate" British Columbians even more about climate change. However, a more balanced view on global warming suggest it is far from the worst problem facing the world today. If the government needs to bombard us with propaganda to convince us of the righteousness of its global warming crusade, maybe it's because the benefits just can't be justified given the costs. ...Full Article

August 11, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Saskatchewan Begging a Work of Art Christine Tell wants to hear from you—and soon. The Minister of Tourism, Parks, Culture, and Sport released a report called “Reflections: A Summary of 30 Years of Cultural Discussions in Saskatchewan.” Her ministry has posted the report online and invites citizens to fill out a response survey by August 22. Let’s hope concerned taxpayers step up to the plate to bat away the sales pitches of arts advocates. Otherwise, the province could pump plenty more tax dollars to a dubious cause. ...Full Article

August 07, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Manitoba Thinking Outside the Green Box "Clearly there are many green initiatives that governments could explore that don't involve creating taxes, regulations or new bureaucracies. We just need to start thinking outside the green box." ...Full Article

July 31, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Federal Jim Prentice, Canada’s Presumptive Finance Minister? It is no secret in Ottawa that Industry Minister Jim Prentice wants to be Canada’s finance minister. If Mr. Prentice had his way he’d be running finance and Mr. Flaherty would be punted to a second-tier ministry, like industry. ...Full Article

July 30, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Saskatchewan Liquor Retail Needs Reform Wall will stick to his election promise to keep the crowns in public hands. This means the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) will continue its wholesale and retail operations. Even so, Wall acknowledged this mandate still leaves plenty of room for change, and he was all ears for suggestions. Hopefully, the government will give more than a passing glance to recent proposals from the Saskatchewan Hotel and Hospitality Association (SHHA). Earlier this year they submitted a paper that was "not calling for the privatization of either the wholesale or retail side of beverage alcohol sales, but simply a level playing field in which it can fairly compete." ...Full Article

July 28, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Alberta The slow slide back to corporate welfare It’s no secret the Alberta government literally lost billions of taxpayers’ dollars in the 1980s and 90s through loans and loan guarantees to private companies. Thankfully, during the Klein revolution of the mid-1990s these corporate welfare programs were ended. Unfortunately, a few recent moves by the current Alberta government have raised the spectre of a return to these corporate welfare days. ...Full Article

July 24, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Ontario NDP Leadership: Accountability Starts at Home With an Ontario NDP leadership campaign underway the CTF calls for all donations to me made public prior to voters casting their first ballot. ...Full Article

July 24, 2008 Let's Talk Taxes: Manitoba High Flying Hypocrites Recently, it has been next to impossible to find a politician not talking about the need to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Ironically enough, it's almost next to impossible to pick up a newspaper and not find a story of a politician flying off to a conference in an exotic location. Isn't there an old saying "practice what you preach?" ...Full Article

In the Media:

The following links will take you to radio, television and paper interviews with CTF directors on variety of subjects.


British Columbia