— Feature, Musings —07.26.2023 11:18 AM
My latest: a cult of mediocrity
Name ten federal cabinet ministers. Just ten.
It’s not a lot. Ten represents just a quarter of Justin Trudeau’s cabinets in recent years.
So, name ten. But you can’t, can you?
You’re not alone. Few can. With the exception of weirdos like media political columnists and Ottawa-based bureaucrats, Joe and Jane Frontporch generally don’t know who is in cabinet, and they mostly don’t care, either.
Apart from Chrystia Freeland and Dominic LeBlanc – perhaps – most voters couldn’t pick a Trudeau government minister out of a police lineup (where not a few voters think they belong, but that’s a column for another day). The majority of Trudeau’s ministers are distinguished by being indistinguishable. They are remarkably unremarkable.
In the annals of Canadian politics, successful Prime Ministers have tended to surround themselves with notables. Jean Chretien had Paul Martin, John Manley, Brian Tobin and more. Brian Mulroney had Joe Clark, Don Mazankowski and Jean Charest. Stephen Harper had Rona Ambrose, Peter MacKay and Lisa Raitt.
Even Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre, always cultivated talent around the cabinet table – Marc Lalonde, Allan MacEachen, John Turner, the aforementioned Chretien.
But Justin Trudeau? As mentioned, it’s all about him, generally. L’etat, c’est lui – the State is Him. You don’t really hear about anyone else unless they get in trouble – and Trudeau Junior’s ministers get in trouble quite often (Marco Mendicino, Bill Morneau, Bill Blair, et al.).
So why don’t we know more about the people who make up Canada’s federal government? Because Justin Trudeau’s government isn’t really a government. It’s a cult of personality.
It begins and (one hopes) ends with Justin. It is entirely, indisputably, All About Him.
A cult of personality, the dictionary folks tell us, is “a cult promoting adulation of a living national leader or public figure.” Which, in Trudeau’s case, sounds about right.
None of his ministers ever spoke out about, say, the fact that Justin Trudeau is the first Prime Minister to have been found to have violated multiple federal statutes. None of the people within his Liberal Party bothered to check, back in 2008, whether the aspiring politician had groped a woman without consent (he had) or worn racist black face (he had, more than once).
But none of his partisans – christened “TruAnon,” memorably, by CNN’s Jake Tapper – care about any of that stuff. You can see the TruAnon types in the comments below this column, like a swarm of oily earwigs, objecting to anything and anyone who is outside the cult.
So, it’s a cult of personality. Generally speaking, if a cult leader is effective at suppressing dissent and bad PR – like Scientology or the Moonies – then the cult leadership survives.
But that’s the imperfection at the center of Justin Trudeau’s cult of personality: the leader is imperfect. Aga Khan, SNC-Lavalin, WE “charity,” now Chinese interference in our democracy: in every single case, the biggest Trudeau-era scandals have implicated Trudeau personally. Him.
So, in a cult of personality, when the leader stumbles, it jeopardizes the entire organization. It places the whole shebang at risk. And that is particularly the case when there isn’t someone standing in the wings, ready to take over.
And there just isn’t. With the exception of Intergovernmental Affairs’ LeBlanc or Industry’s Francois-Phillippe Champagne, it is very, very hard to picture anyone else taking over and surviving a Tory landslide.
Because they’re all mostly invisible.
Because there was a big-deal cabinet shuffle, this week, and the chances are excellent you (a) didn’t know or (b) don’t care.
Welcome to the club.
I’d like to see Leblanc take over when Trudeau resigns for that reason – he stands out in a movement that is about one guy, most of the time. I remember admiring Chretien’s cabinet, or what I can remember, or have read about Trudeau seniors. You’re right Warren, we’re missing something here. I still won’t vote for the conservatives – like I’ve said before, I can’t support a party that enthralled by conspiracy theory and populated with climate change deniers. And, I don’t think important institutions like health care, and the Canada Pension plan are safe with PP at the reigns.
Ridiculous. Just plain ridiculous.
Curious V is not being ridiculous IMHO. I don’t
trust Poilievre’s Conservatives either. They are
proto-Fascists taking a page from their leader
in the USA that nobody really trusts whatsoever.
This is a guy that supported the Free Dumb Trucker’s
occupation of downtown Ottawa.
Poilievre is just a nerd with a pocket protector as characterized aptly by our host on previous articles
posted here.
Not ridiculous at all.
See below Robert-yes he is and I obviously disagree with your view and our host says he is not afraid of a PP administration and he has actually WORKED in one so that should be good enough for anyone but not you I guess. If they were actually proto fascists he would be screaming that from the high heavens because he has actually written about them. Wouldn’t you agree? Note that Curious never directly responds when challenged even though he is doing it behind a handle. Still waiting on various and sundry threads below on the CBC and other issues. I get your that you would never vote for PP. Your descriptions are just far too extreme. I have no problem with ANYONE who hasn’t fallen for Justin’s nonsense whether from the left or right. And you are one.
You don’t grow a few pounds of marijuana in your
backyard like I do every year, eh.
I got suckered by Trudeau’s leftist agenda until I
wised up and started hanging out on The WAR Room
and realized I was being taken in by a drama teacher
that wears blackface.
I moved over to the NDP because they are most closely
aligned politically & via class consciousness. Poilievre
is still living in the past if he thinks he can ‘balance the books’ off of my back.
And to be clear, what I thought was ridiculous was his nonsense about PP dismantling health care and CPP. He was in the cabinet that ploughed historically high dollars into health care but that just doesn’t fit his silly narrative.
“I got suckered by Trudeau’s leftest agenda” … “so I moved over to the NDP”
Robert, FYI, the NDP wholeheartedly support Trudeau. Sure they chirp a lot on Twitter about Trudeau, but when it’s time to actually vote, the NDP sides with Trudeau.
Let me help with your talking points Curious. You must not have got the memo from wherever people like you get them. This is what he is going to do:
1. Bring back the death penalty
2. Ban abortion
3. Ban same sex marriage
4. Reverse all gun control legislation
5. Defund the CBC
6. Take away the right to vote unless you are male and own property
7. Bring back the Sabbath laws
8. Fire the entire civil service
9. Pass legislation that says climate change does not exist
10. Bring in a 10% flat tax.
11. Legislate the minimum wage out of existence
12. Privatize the entire health care system.
There are a few other things he is going to do but he wants to save those announcements until the writ drops to keep his rabid base interested. There are actually 1 or 2 on that list that I hope he actually does.
13. Soldiers with guns. In our cities. In Canada. We did not make this up.
For the Steve Martin fans, he will also legislate the letter M out of the alphabet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8oNTq9MTd4
The best approach is to just mock this idiocy because many in the media and their fellow traveling morons actually believe this crap or at least tout it for their own ends.
Nail on the head Ronald.
That would be Robert. Please keep up.
Here are a few other things he plans to do:
1. Stop immigration.
2. Leave the UN.
3. Ban pornography.
4. Reduce the number of federal MPs to 100.
5. Impose harsh economic sanctions on China.
Your post is beyond ridiculous. You must be a multimillionaire because you apparently have found a crystal ball somewhere.
When Justin resigns, Leblanc should make a lengthy public apology for his role in normalizing Justin’s conduct over the past 10 years. If he doesn’t, he should be barred from entering the leadership race. The new leader should then remove him from caucus and refuse to allow him to be a Liberal Candidate.
Given LeBlanc’s conflict of interest behaviour, I’m betting lots of liberals would like to see him as PM, so they and their relatives can get lucrative federal contracts.
Curious V,
You keep this up by rote and by golly one day, far off in the future, you might actually convince yourself, unless levelheadedness somehow unexpectedly takes over…
Warren,
Domenic is too colourful to replace HimselfTM.
Why do I get the strong feeling that several of the dumpees did not in reality exactly go willingly? Interesting. Stay tuned for revenge hour! My favourite political soap opera.
Revenge… You need credibility to get revenge and none of them have any.
Sean,
OK, but docs are always good and fun too!
‘…oily earwigs…’. hahaha.
good one!
Whenever someone leaves Justin’s cabinet, it reminds me of large item pick up day in the bad part of town… I guess that sad, broken down thing functioned at one point …. but I can’t believe someone actually had it in their house!
Did David Lametti have an attack of honesty and step down?
Or is Justin going to announce Lametti’s appointment as a judge?
Peter,
Supreme Court here he comes at the next Quebec vacancy.
Perhaps Justin will ask him to chair a public inquiry.
Paging Jagmeet Singh. Where’s the inquiry Jagmeet?
Lametti has said publicly that he was surprised and disappointed to find out he’s been booted from Cabinet.
Rumour de jour on the radio today was that Ms Anand was too indiscreet in her leadership aspirations, and she needed to be reminded who is in charge. Now where have we seen that before?
Probably explains this pic.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F1_pmqxaQAUSB-q?format=jpg&name=medium
I finally put my hair-shirt on and watched the CBC coverage of the swearing in. I have to admit it was fun to watch Rechie Valdez’s excitement. CBC coverage was ridiculous as usual. They hinted around the fact that Justin dumped Anand because she was getting too uppity but would not say it out loud. The plebes can’t handle that kind of negative information about their Dear Leader and need to be protected from same. It is disgusting. Curious? Thoughts? Your pragmatic and non partisan “news source”?
Only in Bizarro World 2023 would a move from Defence to Treasury Board be considered a demotion. It’s a major promotion, arguably #3 in the power structure.
It is a real position.
If you disagree, ask losers like Herb Gray, John Baird, Stockwell Day, Scott Brison, or Pat Carney (seance required in some instances) about the job.
M. Chretien describes the importance of the ministry in his writings, I am not in the mood to go to my library to provide a reference, but he sure as hell said that.
The narratives and subsequent commentary are just so much bullshit these days, especially from people who should know better. (Hello Michelle Rempel Garner) It’s no wonder people hate the MSM.
Absolute nonsense but A for effort. I pay attention and every time Mona Fortier appeared in the news about a strike or something I had to check and remind myself whether or not she was a civil servant. Good try though! Anand is a strong woman and that threatens your dear leader. So bye bye. I can provide some helpful links to back that up or just check The Google yourself.
It’s not as public-facing a post as defence is, but in terms of governance it is indeed more important. I think her quiet competence is what got her the new job. And I want Trudeau gone as much as the next guy.
EHWAL,
I’m still waiting for HimselfTM to actually learn how to be in charge. Maybe some day, but probably not ever.
You mean the Great Feminist actually takes pleasure in putting female ministers “in their place”? Of course, that rule doesn’t necessarily apply if you happen to be sleeping with some guy. Those pesky and yet somewhat convenient exceptions.
They finally moved Diane Lebouthillier out of Revenue. I have no idea what was going on there. Been there since they took power and I have always paid attention to her because of my job and she was beyond incompetent. A Quebec thing? Ronald? I assume she won’t do much damage in Fisheries. Anand was one of only of few in Cabinet with an actual functioning brain. Massive step down putting Blair in her former role. It is actually a bit frightening.
National Revenue Minister Lebouthillier was stellar
in that portfolio IMHO. I thought she was fine in that
job, Martin.
Disagree. And like I said, I was paying attention. Because it had an impact on my life. She was no Jane Stewart but I guess if you want to make a relative comparison to the rest of the bunch in that cabinet, your analysis is fine.
Martin,
Honestly, haven’t got a clue. I finally have something in common with this Prime Minister. LOL.
I don’t deny climate change. I say the climate is changing all the time. However, I’m against climate change hysteria, against using that as an an excuse to constantly raise taxes and denying the fact that many forest fires are set accidentally or deliberately.
The term “conspiracy theory” is often used to discredit ideas that are controversial. In the case of John F. Kennedy, who really believes that he was killed by one gunman who acted completely alone and was killed later so that he could never talk about it? Just because something is called a conspiracy theory doesn’t mean it can’t be true.
I can only name six cabinet ministers. The one most people can name is probably Christia Freeland.
I can name most of them, unfortunately. Completely disagree about the story floating around that being a municipal politician means you have developed skills that would make you a good Cabinet Minister(there are 6 now-see below about Lebouthillier-that theory is just silly in her case). And good lord, not in our riding. That is actually ROTFLOL. But even if true, since they are all barking seals being run out of the PMO, what difference does it actually make if you have developed the skills?
If global warming (aka climate change) is really a problem why does our polluter in chief fly so much?
He (and Mr Guilbeault) should use video calls and stop flying. D
Gilbert,
It makes me queasy. I can name a lot more than that. Where’s my stomach pump? But seriously, Pablo got a nice promotion. Good for him.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/03/canada-trudeau-successor-francois-philippe-champagne-00104367 The US types seem to be taking note of Champagne.
SM,
That guy has had so many lateral moves he’s almost irrelevant. Reminds me of my radio news reading days in my twenties. I was an expert at going nowhere. A veritable lateral King I was.
The conservatives don’t have any solutions. Their ideology, and they’re run by ideology under Poilievre, is outdated nonsense that doesn’t offer people anything. He’s ahead in the polls because of the cost of living, but they have nothing to offer as a solution – just anger and conspiracy theory. Too partisan, too angry, too fueled by conspiracy theory.
The Liberals don’t have any solutions. Their ideology, and they’re run by ideology under Justin, is outdated nonsense that doesn’t offer people anything. He accidentally won the 2015 election because of the cost of living but he never had anything as a solution – just virtue signaling and familial nostalgia. Too partisan, to fake, too fueled by blind loyalty.
Sean,
[Smiling ever so broadly.]
Curious
The Trudeau “solution” is to make things worse.
He’s borrowing from our children to stay in power today.
Chrystia Freeland once said “perhaps the middle class needs to take a pay cut”. Team Trudeau’s policies (supported by the NDP) are certainly making that happen.
The polluter in chief has bought nine Airbus aircraft to replace the five aging Polaris aircraft the military currently has.
https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/politics/2023/7/25/1_6493506.amp.html
Nine to replace five? Is Trudeau planning more trips? More vacations?
I would have thought with climate change threatening our existence (Trudeau’s words, not mine) he’d fly less.
Peter,
Didn’t you know? God made him exempt…from a lot of things…
Come on! Let’s have a bit of fun. I don’t know. How about trying to put Airbus and Trudeau Foundation in the same sentence!
Did Trudeau consult with Mulroney re the Airbus purchase?
Peter,
Not to my knowledge.
Buying 9 planes to replace 5. Does this mean there will be more consulting fees for Trudeau’s friends?
Successful organizations identify talent and groom and nurture it for long lasting success and as a safety valve in case unexpected events require a change at the top.
Liberal supporters who would jump over the cliff in subservience to their cultish leader need to see that Justin Trudeau has suppressed the nurturing of prospects for a succession plan for a seamless transition from his time in the sun and inevitable retirement. I see that as a weakness and the Liberal movers and shakers must be appalled at the lack of genuine leadership prospects in the pipeline. Mark Carney? He will sell in western Canada about as well as the very small handful of Montreal and Toronto people who will run to lead the Liberal Party.
That is how I and a few others operate in my firm. Mentor, raise up and reward people to take your job. Unfortunately, not all of my partners have got that memo. They function like Justin does. Hold people down and view them as a unit of cost. A few would be fans of Justin’s. Luckily, we have a VERY objective profit split but many still don’t seem to see the pattern.
Justin is running his party and, by extension, this country into the ground.
Fatigue is setting in.
The PMO is running on fumes, constantly assuming a defensive posture.
Creativity is lacking.
No new big ideas.
A cabinet filled with hacks and a caucus of hanger-ons.
Grim, and getting grimmer.
The liberal party will be fine. It’s the natural governing party for a reason. When Trudeau resigns they’ll have a spirited leadership contest, and start anew. Until that happens, Justin is the leader, so let’s just hope for the best, that he’ll beat this hack nut Poilievre. He’s the last thing Canada needs –
Curious V,
Ha, ha, your genius actually wants to face Pierre. I hope he gets to. You know, elections, sometimes a funny thing.
Douglas,
Who’s more dumb? The guy they put there or the ones who put him there? Not moi. I proudly was for Marc.
The cost of living crisis is usually framed around families, or young middle class people. The real victims are people on fixed income. We need big investment in affordable housing. We need for people to be happy with smaller homes, and we also need a building strategy for affordable housing for people on fixed incomes – pensioners and folks on disability income. That requires investment from the feds and provinces, and cooperation from municipal governments. I have two degrees and a financial license, and a normal income for me before cancer, based on education and experience – about 80-120 grand. Maybe more, but generally that’s where I’d fall. I’ll never own a property that costs as much as my parents is worth, I’ll never have a property in excess of a million. So, we have to teach people to be content with smaller homes, modesty, and build them. We also have to invest in subsidized affordable housing for people on fixed incomes – that requires cooperation between the feds, the provinces, and municipal governments.
My Opa was the mayor where my dad grew up in the Netherlands for 40 years. He was knighted. He built all kinds of subsidized affordable housing and he mixed neighborhoods, so they had every income level in them. He did this to prevent the emergence of ghettos and the stigma of poverty. They have to do that in Canada too – enough of this division in society. Enough of this backwardness that pins success and worth to the size of your house – start mixing communities so people can see there’s no difference other than circumstance between a disabled person on a fixed income and somebody whose lived an easy ride.
Curious V,
You mean Saint Justin I hasn’t already been doing this since 2015? Maybe that whole gang are already far too busy counting each other’s money.
Curious V,
It seems you think Justin cares about ordinary Canadians. He loves when indigenous Canadians give him donations. We know that.
Canadian politicians always focus on the middle class – that’s where the votes are. Real leaders show concern for folks who can’t make it in this society, for a multitude of reasons, but usually due to disability, or age. None of the leaders, not Trudeau, not the premiers and certainly not Poilievre have done close to enough to quell the suffering, and desperation of defenseless, vulnerable people. To me, as a political leader, it’s your duty to do just that. Sure it’s hard for a young healthy person when they realize the cost of housing, but they can work, maybe two jobs, do some overtime – you’re young and healthy you can work, get student loans and go to school – you’re capable. There are people who can’t work, who are injured, disabled, have mental health issues, cancer, or they’re passed their working days. We, as a society, we just aren’t doing close to enough for them to ensure they have a roof, clothing, supports, medication, food security. As a society we should be ashamed of ourselves for devolving into this me culture that celebrates easy rides, the fortune of good health – that obsesses about the folks who haven’t had anything to overcome, and then expect luxury without having done much for it but maybe get an education, or being born to affluent parents – or just healthy and capable. We do almost nothing for the folks who can’t fend for themselves, and that’s a god damned disgrace – shameful, reprehensible attitudes of entitlement and self adulation. Real leaders would solve this problem first, before pandering to smarmy rednecks who think the world owes them all they desire when they really haven’t done much for it. This attitude that they’re owed a big house when working poor, disabled people, and seniors can’t make rent – it’s an obnoxious disgrace that makes our society a shit hole.
You aren’t paying attention. Justin and his bunch are pandering to the rich retired government pensioned widows with the big house in Toronto that do not pay their fair share of property taxes. Do you honestly not see that? If he pandered to the rednecks, things would be no worse. You are actually making the case for PP. If things are so terrible for those people you mention, should you not be blaming the guy who has been in charge for the last 8 years? So ridiculous.
100% agree…. although I think it is plainly obvious to most Canadians that Justin’s team has made all of these things far worse since 2015. The faux signaling about these issues has taken up the space needed to enact any change and thus robbed Canadians, Liberals in particular, of a valid choice. The only logical way forward for Liberals, to finally put an end to this nonsense, is to vote for Pierre Poilievre.
Curious V,
You’ve never been more bang on in any of your comments so don’t send it to the BigPhoneyBaloneyGuyTM. His precious pride and ego won’t be able to take it. He’s far too busy saying look here, not there. If we base the re-election metric solely on your comment, then this bozo deserves to go down in spades in the next election. No one can credibly argue otherwise.
My Number One charity has always been the homeless. It’s been temporarily replaced by the hungry since COVID-19. But it will return to the top spot soon.
But as hard as your brain may be trying to tell you that this fucker deserves nothing but a boot in the ass in the next election, your partisan blinders simply won’t allow you to admit that someone else — anyone else — can and WILL do infinitely better than this total joke of a prime minister.
Gets worse if the conservatives win. Trudeau hasn’t done enough for vulnerable people, neither have any of the premiers. If Poilievre wins, he’ll cut taxes and slash programs that are pitiful as it stands. He’ll starve the system and force big cuts to an already beleaguered system. Should instead raise the GST 2 points, but he’ll cut taxes for comfortable high earning people, maybe a bit for the middle class – then he’ll slash the system. The federal government should step up to tackle inequality and poverty – especially for seniors and people with disabilities but none of them have the guts to do what’s right. Talk about values, and I often wonder what kind of values people have when they tolerate this adolescent attitude that allows for so much suffering to exist in such a wealthy country.
No he won’t and, again, you need to bone up on economics. Raising the HST is REGRESSIVE. I can provide some helpful links if you don’t understand what that means. Raising it will shift even more money to those rich widows. I have explained to you before how I have done under Justin, I would love it if he raised the HST. If it will help me, trust me, you don’t want that. But I am not one of those greedy rich widows that you seem to be inexplicably standing with and I actually care about what happens.
Martin,
Mulroney should never have gone with a consumption tax. It was total idiocy to tax the top at the same rate as the middle class, or much worse, at the rate the bottom pays. Mulroney put everyone in the same basket and that benefitted the top ten percent far more than anyone else. Shameful and voodoo economics to quote H.W.
And people like Curious don’t understand that but he gets the same number of votes as we do. He wants to make the problem WORSE.
I think it’s a bit simplistic to say that HST and similar value-added taxes (VATs) are regressive. Many tax experts and academics think that VATs are the best form of taxation, because of their visibility (you know you’re getting taxed). Lots of tax & spend types love income taxes and other more hidden, buried taxes because people aren’t aware of how much they’re being taxed.
Furthermore, some of the most progressive societies on earth rely heavily on VATs. Scandinavia is Exhibit A. Last time I was in Denmark, the VAT was 26%. You counteract any regressive aspects via other supports, such as GST credits.
Sure but his simplistic solution is just to raise it and he doesn’t get into all the other stuff. He would be all in JUST ON THAT and that is silly.
Oh I agree there’s a lot to it and you can’t just look at the GST/HST/VAT in isolation. The thing is, VATs are an incredibly efficient way to raise large amounts of revenue because the tax base is so wide. But yes, the thing to do — the thing that you’re SUPPOSED to do — is to offset that by reducing taxes in other areas, such as corporate, income, tariffs etc. Those were the (good) arguments that were being put to the likes of Michael Wilson (remember him?) when the Tories first brought it in.
Also, it’s offset with refunds to lower income brackets. Easy to increase those refunds for any perceived imbalance. And, it doesn’t apply to essentials.
You are naive if you think the current virtue signaling hypocritical Finance Minister will do the much the needed tax reform this would require. Even though she has LOTS OF TIME to do it while getting chauffeured around Toronto.
Can you please explain how a higher HST benefits you?
Because it is basically a flat tax. Flat tax benefits higher income earners.
Not to mention that, in my business, most of my clients get it back so it would not impact our gross revenue.
Yup, in mine all of them did but not us, even if we paid it on their behalf and they suddenly went bankrupt or introduced a proposal to creditors. Sheer insanity, but that’s Customs law for you…if they aren’t already paying it directly to Ottawa.
Now let’s pretend I’m in charge: I would start with targeted tax cuts based on income. It would be a reverse pyramid that would take into account the amount of social assistance already being received before determining the tax cut in those lower brackets. The bottom and then the middle would get most of this tax cut. It’s called targeted tax cuts and no other type is even remotely credible politically. As for the top third, they would get no tax cuts UNLESS their businesses created jobs or contributed money to open up new businesses. THEN AND ONLY THEN would they get cuts but in the preferred form of tax credits. The rest of the top that don’t put money where their mouth is to expand the Canadian economy will get nothing, period. Hope Connie doesn’t get to read this. He’s probably unlikely to agree.
Back to Warren’s initial question… which… after 77 comments…no one was inclined to try. Indeed I can name 10 Federal Cabinet Ministers:
Jean Chretien
Paul Martin
Allan Rock
Brian Tobin
Sheila Copps
John Manley
Anne McClellan
Jane Stewart
Art Eggleton
David Collenette
There you go…. ten *real* cabinet ministers.
I think we’re talking about Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.
I think Sean knew that. There is one on that list that makes me cringe but the rest is a pretty good list of of actual adults that used to run the country vs whatever the hell we have going on now.
Sean,
OK, let’s see how far I get re: the dumbass cabinet:
Freeland
LeBlanc
Blair
O’Regan
Rodriguez
Champagne
Joly
Anand
Sajjan
Wilkinson
Boissonnault
Duclos
Holland
Guilbeault
(More difficult after the shuffle…)
Happy for Marci though! Even if I forgot about her. She’s a good person.
Here’s why we need to increase the GST, and mitigate pressure it places on low income people; We need a national benefit for disabled people that is at least 2200 a month. We should increase pensions for seniors, and we need a national subsidy for low income renters. We can’t cut taxes and skirt society’s responsibility to these people.
Curious V,
I would put this to you: expect tax cut promises from both parties in the next election. Trudeau, because he’s already panicking that they may already be done as dinner and Poilièvre to consolidate as much of the GenX and GenY vote as possible.
You’re probably right, I just don’t think tax cuts ae a responsible move even if they’re politically expedient. First, they’ll exacerbate inflationary pressures, second we need the revenue to deal with health, pandemic spending, and the necessity of a national disability income and increased pensions, and rental subsidies – of course the provinces would be responsible for a big chunk of this, but there are big responsibilities we have to tend to before offering tax cuts. Just an irresponsible move
I can name more NDP MPs who were elected in 1993, than I can name Trudeau Cabinet Ministers.
They are Audrey McLaughlin, Svend Robinson, Lorne Nystrom, Bill Blaikie and Libby Davies.