Newspaper Clipping: So, who is basically the pig?

Actually, the news clipping doesn’t say who the real pig is, so I get to give my opinion in a matter related to the much hated, (or is it the much needed) HST.

Some of the mechanics:

According to the article ‘Ontario getting small cut in taxes’ Ontarians will receive a reduction in their personal income tax rate starting Jan. 1.

As well, Ontarians will receive one-time relief cheques and new credits to ease the transition when the province merges the provincial sales tax with the federal GST.


[Click here for photo link]

Some of what it means:

To Ontarians - Ontario will have the lowest personal income tax rate of any province in Canada.

To K. Gaudet, a director with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation - “The fact is that the HST is basically a pig.”

Those that fashioned the HST haven’t rebutted that statement yet, though I’m sure they will.

E.g., HST: “It’s Gaudet’s that’s a pig.”

KG: “No I’m not, the HST is a pig.”

HST: “No, you’re a pig.”

KG: “No, you are.”

And so it will likely go.

In the meantime, allow me to say that the HST, like the provincial sales tax and GST before it, is nothing more than a consumption tax.

And though Gaudet elsewhere in the article expresses concern for ‘already hard-hit consumers,’ there are numerous parts of our surroundings and resource base that are being hit even harder on a constant basis because of our excessive consumption.

Consider our water usage. We’re basically pigs.

Overuse of building supplies and home accessories. We’re pigs.

Overuse of metals. Pigs.


[“Feed the pig - reduce spending”]

Condition of our air. We’re pigs.

Food stuffs. Fish stocks. Arable land. Fossil fuels. We’re basically pigs, pigs, pigs.

Do you want to feel less of a tax pinch?

Reduce spending, pay down debt, save money for a hard rain.

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Is it too late to say ‘live small and prosper?’

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