Author Topic: 2021 federal budget  (Read 1515 times)

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Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #30 on: April 22, 2021, 01:24:37 am »
There's not really any specifics that I've seen on the childcare thing.  So far it seems like maybe funding through provinces? (except Quebec...so they have to pay for their own. That doesn't seem fair).  Not really sure how I feel about it yet.

It seems like they just threw the childcare thing in there as an election promise without much a plan to implement yet.   They've been busy with dealing with COVID. 

It's not a bad budget.  Pretty predictable.  Basically just funding COVID recovery.  Disappointed not more done to control housing affordability/price inflation.

I wonder if the Liberals are going to try to delay the release of tax return info related to COVID benefits until the election is over.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline kimmy

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #31 on: April 22, 2021, 02:19:14 pm »
But aren't future generations benefitting from us building a better world?  That is the point of social programs isn't it?


That's the trick, isn't it? How do we make sure the money we spend today actually builds a better world for people who come after?

As a country we spent money like crazy during WWII.  Did it build a better world?  I think that most people agree that yeah, defeating Nazi Germany was worth the expense.

As a country we spent money like crazy during the 1970s and 1980s.  Did it build a better world? Maybe for people who were there at the time... but I'm not sure you can point to anything that exists today as a permanent lasting benefit to the country as a whole from all that spending.

If we spend a bunch of money today, how do we make sure we spend it on things that will create lasting benefit for the whole country rather than go straight into the pockets of people who are already very well off?

 -k
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Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #32 on: April 22, 2021, 02:28:50 pm »
But aren't future generations benefitting from us building a better world?  That is the point of social programs isn't it?

Sure.  But I also think it has to be sustainable, and there's an ethical argument to be made that each generation should pay their own way.  There's exceptions during emergencies, like COVID or WWII where deficits can drastically rise.  But if tons of people got free money in the last year why shouldn't they pay it off over time?  Why is that someone else's burden?  It's really easy to kick the can down the road.  If I could have someone else's grandkids pay off my big mortgage that sure would be sweet!

Are future generations benefiting from inheriting debt or many billions in debt charges?  Luckily the feds are still in decent shape financially compared to other countries, it will be ~50% of GDP for a while (up from 30% pre-COVID).  But provincial debt is also massive.  Healthcare is the country's most important social program and it needs much more funding.  The mental health funding in this country is a joke.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline kimmy

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #33 on: April 22, 2021, 02:44:46 pm »
It seems to have lots of good intentions, but I am concerned with whether the results will line up with the intentions.

A $15 minimum wage seems like a good intention, but some kinds of employers are already on the brink.  As online shopping puts more brick and mortar retailers out of business, a $15 minimum wage might be the last nail in the coffin for some. If stores fold and $13/hr retail jobs end up being replaced with gig-economy jobs where you might make $75/day as an Intelcom delivery contractor, is that really a win for the people you're trying to help?  Giving people rent assistance sounds like a great idea unless it ends up driving up rent prices.  These kinds of things.

Maybe I'm becoming too cynical... my instinct is that whenever the government opens its wallet for some noble cause, the investor class or landlord class is going to find a way to Hoover most of the money that comes out.  I think we've already seen that to some extent with the covid assistance money the government has already spent... they've already unintentionally enriched the richest business in Canada. I suspect that the biggest players will likewise find a way to make themselves the biggest beneficiaries of whatever "great reset" plans Ms Freeland has in mind.  I guess the good news, on that front, is that we know from her writings that Ms Freeland is an even bigger cynic than I am, and she has no doubt put much thought into all of this.

 -k
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Offline Queefer Sutherland

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #34 on: April 23, 2021, 02:36:09 pm »
It seems to have lots of good intentions, but I am concerned with whether the results will line up with the intentions.

A $15 minimum wage seems like a good intention, but some kinds of employers are already on the brink.  As online shopping puts more brick and mortar retailers out of business, a $15 minimum wage might be the last nail in the coffin for some. If stores fold and $13/hr retail jobs end up being replaced with gig-economy jobs where you might make $75/day as an Intelcom delivery contractor, is that really a win for the people you're trying to help?  Giving people rent assistance sounds like a great idea unless it ends up driving up rent prices.  These kinds of things.

Maybe I'm becoming too cynical... my instinct is that whenever the government opens its wallet for some noble cause, the investor class or landlord class is going to find a way to Hoover most of the money that comes out.

Agreed.  The bourgeoisie are much nimbler than the government.  Instead of a $15 minimum wage I think it would make a lot more sense to control the rising cost of housing so everyone can better afford a place to live, and it would also reduce rents.

I've heard some friends say their employers have intentions of having them work from home permanently.  In a society which is the most socially isolated in human history I find this disturbing.  People aren't meant to work at home in communities with few social contacts, especially the young and/or single.  How often do most people even talk to their neighbours anymore? IMO it should be a choice up to the worker.  Anything to make more profit.

You look at the stats and over the past 10 years young people are going on less dates, hanging out with friends face to face less, talking on the phone less.  It's nuts.  Sperm counts in young men are even going down for some reason lol.  Once they perfect virtual reality young people won't even leave their rooms.
"Nipples is one of the great minds of our time!" - Bubbermiley

Offline eyeball

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Re: 2021 federal budget
« Reply #35 on: April 23, 2021, 05:44:30 pm »
If we spend a bunch of money today, how do we make sure we spend it on things that will create lasting benefit for the whole country rather than go straight into the pockets of people who are already very well off?

 -k
How? My old go-to as usual, people in power need to be monitored a degree that would make Orwell blush. It's the only thing we haven't tried. Power is what needs redistributing, money is not the bigger issue here.

The problem doesn't seem very complicated, notwithstanding the solution I'll grant but I'm convinced it can be solved.
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