An interview I caught on either CBC or CTV last week caused me to ponder how much Canada has changed since the Trudeau government came to power nine years ago. Of course, some good things happened, and the COVID-19 pandemic was clearly a game-changer.
But if I were asked the age-old question, “Are we better off today than we were nine years ago?” I would have a hard time saying yes.
I have never been a fan of big government and do not believe that government should be all things to all people. That smacks of socialism to me. I am also constantly reminded that every single dollar a government spends comes out of someone else’s pocket.
It does not give me a great deal of comfort to know that since 2015, employment in Canada’s public service has grown by more than 35 per cent while, in the same period, our national population has grown by only 14 per cent.
On top of that, when the Trudeau government took office in 2015, Canada’s National debt was 619.3 billion dollars. Since then, it has very nearly doubled to an almost insurmountable debt of 1.2 trillion dollars.
Yes, as some will argue, the pandemic is accountable for a portion of that increase, but not nearly all of it. In our ordinary lives, when something unexpected comes along, we don’t keep spending, and we have to cut our expenses elsewhere. The Trudeau government has shown little enthusiasm for that kind of common sense.
That doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy about being better off than we were when the Trudeau government first took office.
Then there is the matter of taxes. We are taxed wherever we go on income, property, retail purchases, gasoline, and so-called ‘sin’ purchases like liquor and tobacco. We are actually double-taxed because we pay tax on our income and are then taxed again when we spend that income.
In 2023, an average Canadian family paid 43% of their income on some form of taxes. In 2024 it is projected that it will be more. This, in spite of the fact that the top 20% of income earners in Canada pay 61.9% of all personal tax revenue.
One online pundit called it “The biggest scam in life – paying taxes on money you make, taxes on money you spend, taxes on things you already own and have already paid taxes on with already taxed money.”
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a forum where governments of 38 democracies with market-based economies, including Canada, collaborate on policy standards to promote sustainable economic growth. Out of those 38 countries, Canada’s top combined tax rate ranks as the 5th highest.
Of course, the Trudeau government is not responsible for all of this, but they have certainly contributed to it and have done nothing about reducing the tax burden. Many consumer taxes have been increased and new taxes such as the carbon tax and a higher capital gains tax, have been added by the Trudeau government.
It is important to note that a capital gains tax does not just affect the wealthy. It affects entrepreneurs who risk their own capital, often to build something from nothing, who create new jobs and opportunities, and then, after a relatively small lifetime reduction, have to pay one-third to two-thirds of their hard-earned equity to the government for each project they develop. This is a regressive tax that discourages innovation and excellence from those entrepreneurs who play a pivotal role in our economy.
So, do I believe from the point of taxation that we are better off than we were 9 years ago? I don’t think so.
Now, let’s just look at a few of the more serious and consequential mistakes the Trudeau government has made during its time in power.
First, there is the so-called reform of the Canadian Senate undertaken by the Trudeau government early in its mandate. It called for the appointment of “independent senators” rather than those with a partisan bent. It was a joke. The appointments made by Trudeau to the Senate were primarily nothing more than Liberals by another name.
The hard facts are that the Senate is stacked, and any newly elected government other than a Liberal one will have a huge challenge getting much of its legislation passed. Real reform of the Senate is needed, and that would include direct election by Canadians or its abolishment.
Then there is the Judiciary. They are supposed to be independent and their appointments non- partisan. Yet, 76.3% of Federal judicial and tribunal appointees are people with ties to the Liberal Party. Yes, again, I know that happens elsewhere, but that does not make it right.
Of course, there are also scandals—too many to mention here, but of particular note is the ArriveCan debacle, the development of an app that cost Canadian taxpayers $59.5 million. The Auditor General, Karen Hogan, said the government paid too much. Of greater interest, however, is who got the money.
G C Strategies is (or was) a two-person IT staffing firm founded in 2015, the same year the Trudeau government came into power. They became the largest contractor on the ArriveCan project, receiving several contracts, some of them sole-sourced.
It has been estimated that these two individuals received at least $19.1 million in fees. There have been a number of questions as to whether all of this passes the smell test. Progress on getting to the bottom of it has been, at best, slow. I wonder why?
Nick Nanos, a prominent (although I believe Liberal leaning) pollster, made this comment recently: “Trudeau Liberals are under siege across the country, with Conservatives crashing red fortresses like Toronto and Vancouver.”
I wonder why? Maybe it is because most Canadians really don’t believe they are better off now than when Justin Trudeau first came to power?
Just asking.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler and South Muskoka Doppler.
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Interesting the last 2 weeks between the dueling “Hugh’s”
Both interesting since it depends on what statistics the authors use
Using your statistics I would like both of you to write an article on our Ontario Conservative Government
Thanks. ”Hughs”
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
The fact is “the 10 happiest nations in the world are, in order, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel and New Zealand. The UK is 17th and the US 16th.
Are these happy countries also low-tax countries? On OECD calculations, these 10 nations have extremely high taxes. ”
Millions of Canadians were far better off having a Liberal government assisting those in need during the pandemic.
Conservatives typically cut services to those in need and give the savings to the rich in tax breaks.
While running up debts and deficits.
And refusing to spend federal Covid money to help those in need.
For example Doug Ford’s deficits and increase in the debt is higher than Wynne’s.
How can that be?
Kissing goodbye to Ontario’s revenue faster than he’s cutting services.
100s of millions loss in LCBO revenue.
100s of millions of taxpayer dollars to make booze more accessible.
Not a dime for minor roof repairs at the Science Centre.
“Ontario’s $9.8-billion deficit in 2023 is larger than Wynne’s $7.8 billion in her final budget in 2018, while Ford has added $86.7 billion to the provincial debt in five years, compared with the $61.4 billion the Liberals added to the debt over a similar five-year timespan.”
Wynne looks pretty good by comparison.
By any measure.
Of course you can’t believe any numbers from Ford.
“Ontario’s financial watchdog says deficit ‘was never $15 billion’ as Doug Ford previously claimed ”
“Shortly after Premier Doug Ford was elected he claimed the province was strapped with a staggering $15-billion deficit because of the previous Liberal government’s reckless spending.
“It’s important for people to understand the official deficit was never $15 billion.”
Try half of that.
It’s easy to do better than a false, inflated number.
Ontario’s top accountant actually quit over Ford’s false numbers.
That’s never happened before
She wouldn’t sign off on the false numbers.
Google “Province’s chief accountant quit after refusing to sign off on Fedeli’s $15 billion deficit figure”
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
In Ontario thanks to Doug Ford:
1. we have the more expensive federal carbon tax instead of the previous cap and trade controlled by Ontario,
2. higher rents since he removed rent controls,
3. higher property taxes since he made municipalities pay for some development fees instead of developers,
4. higher energy costs since he removed the Save On Energy and other conservation programs,
5. higher emissions since he cancelled 750 green energy projects and wasted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and is now spending billions on new GHG spewing nat gas plants instead.
6. More profits for greedy landlords and a $5 billion gift from taxpayers to rich developers while emissions skyrocket.
7. Ontario used to be 96% non-fossil fuel power. Now it’s 90% and dropping fast due to Ford. Only 75% by 2030. Ontario is rapidly getting less green. Unlike the rest of the world.
Bully Poilievre will ensure most Canadians are worse off as well.
Except for the rich of course.
When Ford says he’s “For The People” he means only the rich, developer people.
Everyone else can GTH.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I’m happy to pay tax. I understand that it helps to keep our society intact, like ensuring there is a guaranteed income supplement for people.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Trudeau was always a lightweight who Canadians could indulge when times were good. At best he was a mild amusement and diversion. Suffering his costume routines, hypocritical grandstanding and general foolishness is simply something the country can’t do anymore. In the future the Liberal party of Canada needs to select a serious, qualified person. This country is facing challenging problems now, and we need a leader who begins the day thinking about how to solve those, not pondering which silly socks he will wear to a press conference
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Dear Hugh: In spite of all that you have said, and coupled with the fact that I definitely think our Prime Minister has reached his best before date..and god bless Doug Ford (!) even..I am grateful to live in Canada even with all the taxes! Compare us with the Sudan, Haiti, the Ukraine , Lebanon, GAZA and yes, Israel…shall I continue? We are fortunate to say the least and taxes are not that big a deal in the grand scheme. We are a democracy and that gets messy but we are free to live our lives for the most part and I am very grateful for that.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I’m curious to know what the government employees that were hired during Covid are doing now that Covid has passed. Time for the Conservatives to manage this country once again bringing back good old common sense. The Liberals have left a huge debt that mine and your kids and grandkids will be saddled with!
Canada needs a leaner and more efficient federal government that focuses only on its core functions. Bigger government hasn’t been good for Canadians, it’s only been good for government workers. (Fraser Institute)
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hugh, I suspect that most people in the world feel less positive than in 2010. Global population increased 16% from 6.98 in 2010 to 8.11 billion in 2024. Canada’s population increased 20% from 33.9 to 40.7 million because we remain among the most privileged place in the world, and so many people want to come here. All political parties agree that our very low-density population can benefit from the economies of scale of a larger population. We brought in 30,000 from Afghanistan whose families supported our military, and 200,000 refugees from the war in Ukraine. That alone is the population of capital Saskatoon from just 2 countries. But immigration planning has been interrupted by Covid, wars, etc., and takes time to adjust, which is now underway.
Any meaningful assessment of our country’s political system and its practitioners must look at international comparisons and trends. Taxes are not the only measure of a country’s success, but what we get for our taxes compares respectably with our peers. The 2024 UN Happiness Rank shows the more socialized peer countries consistently top the list with Finland 1, Denmark 2, Sweden 4, Norway 7, Australia 10, Canada 15, UK 20, USA 23, Germany 24, France 27, Italy 41, Brazil 44, Japan 51, China 60, India 126.
Homelessness data shows a similar pattern with the number of homeless people per 100,000 being Norway the least at 1, Japan 2, Sweden 6, France 8, Denmark 9, UK 16, Canada 24, Germany 46, USA 76- or 3-times Canada.
Every country has scandals, but again the UN Perception of Corruption index shows the more socialized Scandinavian countries with the fewest scandals, Canada is #10, and the USA is #26.
A quick search shows our federal public service increased from 0.85% of the population in 2010 to 0.9% in 2024 to service the population with better programs in national security, public health, child care, dental care, pharma care, and climate change mitigation, that are all particularly important to help the more vulnerable folks in our society.
I encourage everyone to take some time to look beyond our borders before buying into Poilievre’s narrow, backward agenda.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Hugh I don’t usually see eye to eye with your opinions and I don’t now. Conservatives will gut social programs to find money to procure more F35s Big ships or other WMDs that US arms makers want us to buy, But our military spend will be 2% of GDP! Those good ol’ Canadians!
Frankly I pay taxes for life essentials, not to kill innocent people.
But wait there is a coda! Why not go to Ottawa and see the big hole that once was Parliament.
.Hill? It’s costing $5.5 B to
Make Centre Block great again, er earthquake proof.. The biggest project in Canada I was informed. Your taxes are going into that hole.
Will Poliie fill it in and make MPs meet in a logistics centre in Brampton?
We need to get our priorities in
Line don’t we?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Thank you Hugh Holland for taking a broad view of our Canadian situation. Countries with a more socially responsible bend definitely seem to do well on some many levels: health care, education, care for their elders, and the economy. Taking a more humane approach, prioritizing the human condition, benefits everyone.
I appreciate that some people are itching for a change, but maybe there are better ways to affect positive change. Once upon a time the Conservative party offered something, but what we have now is NOT the Conservative parties of old. It’s a newer, nastier version of Reform. A bunch of little boys bullying their peers by name calling and trash talk. We need more mature, compassionate, and responsible people in power. Tired of the ‘gold old boys’and their buddies helping themselves first.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Very good article Hugh. If we expand the view to see some other trends, the picture is even starker. Despite all the new federal government spending under Trudeau:
– affordability of food and shelter has worstened
– financial stress is rising
– after declines, poverty levels rising again
– most healthcare metrics have deteriorated
– drug addiction/overdoses are way up (over double)
– crime rates are rising again (past few yrs)
– Canadian productivity & business investment is sliding
– our military and foreign standing/relevance has deteriorated.
After 9 years of Trudeau’s government, most things people see/experience and care about are heading in the wrong direction. That is what determines satisfaction and confidence in governments, not rankings/comparisons to other countries by global orgs/statisticians.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
All I know is that by the time I pay all the various taxes, insurance extortion, hydro and energy bills and toss in the most exorbitant phone charges in memory there is not much left to run my business. When I think about the future of my business I suspect I am not one of the people who would vote Canada to be one of the “ten happiest countries in the world”.
This said, Susan Godfrey makes a point to consider for the moment. For how long this will be true is another matter.
I think we could do with less overlapping government levels.
Federal, Provincial, District or county and local municipal all seem to make multiple charges for the same items. One would do the job. We need a massive rearrangement of government responsibilities as we move forward.
Also, the internet tends to be used as both a “shield” and a “weapon” as many government bodies are doing now. You must absolutely fill in vast and complex forms to apply for things and then if you ask questions you must do so with some preconceived form on line and replies from government seem to be “optional” in many cases. If not actually optional, at least so long delayed as to be mostly meaningless.
You have to take note that in many cases, user fees must be prepaid before consideration is given and if agreement is not forthcoming, the fee does not return to the applicant. This would not matter if the fees were nominal and the response timely, but they are often not either.
I’ll add my vote to being of the feeling of “not better off” in many ways now than I was 20 years ago. At least on the “happiness” scale.
I have to admit that after visiting New Zealand a few times, if I was a lot younger and doing things over again in my life with less “anchors in the ground” around me, I’d probably be doing it in New Zealand, rather than Canada.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Can one of the liberal supporters explain to me why we had an election during the pandemic? Do you think that the liberals handed out money like candy and hoped to get a majority? We have an employment insurance program that could have been used to support the workers that were sent home due to covid, but instead our government chose to reinvent a support program. My bank called me and explained that I could borrow $40,000 and only had to pay back $30,000 because I have a business account. Ten grand for free just vote for me!
I did not take the loan. This was just another case of the liberals trying to buy support with our own money.
I am ready for a change, so why don’t the liberals call an election now?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
It would be helpful if you could find a chart showing over all where all federal tax dollars are being spent. Yes there is a large civil service administering programs that we need like borders, immigration, housing, veterans benefits and those transfers to provinces for healthcare etc. Is the Finance department not keeping track of these items so the costs can be compared from year to year and per capita? We should not have to depend on the Fraser Institute or random commentary for this information. Maybe Mr Poilievre can have that reporting made mandatory for public access, so we can compare his tax performance( and outcomes) as years go by so we can see how” life has improved” compared to the taxation in the past ten years.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Perhaps the question: “are we better off than we were 9 years ago?” was meant to be rhetorical. In any event, it predictably unleashed a myriad of favourite grievances by those opposing the current government.
Perhaps a more objective answer is available. In terms of the gestalt “happiness” (which presumably measures “better off” ), in 2015, Canada was ranked the 4th “happiest” country by the World Happiness Report (a serious enough report to be referenced by Forbes, Bloomberg, etc as an economic driver).
In 2024, Canada has ranked the second “happiest” country in the world.
Thus by objective measures……yes we are better off today than 9 years ago.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Paul Whillans, I checked the 2024 Happiness Report you referred to. What I saw was that Canada is #15 on their list (Figure 2.1, score of 6.9 ) not #2, as you claimed. Not sure where you got that from. In the 2015 report, Canada was #5. So, a significant decline in rank position under Trudeau’s watch.
Also I looked at the 2024 report score for those under 30 years old. For them, Canada was way down the list, sitting at #58. That is very telling about youth dissatisfaction today compared to the older generations.
Check out the reports if you think I’m wrong, here are the links:
https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2024/happiness-of-the-younger-the-older-and-those-in-between/#ranking-of-happiness-2021-2023
https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2015/
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Dave Wilkin,,,,,I am more than happy to admit that I am wrong (as is Forbes….presumably used old date in a 2024 article).
And based on this “new” information, I conclude that by objective measures….we are significantly worse off that 9 years ago
Apologies for the misinformation
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Is anyone looking for a drama teacher?