This year’s BC Progress Board report contains the usual prerequisite good news that the Liberals can point to as showing that they have indeed been doing things in the past eight years other than lining their pockets full of taxpayer dollars, but there are some numbers within the report that need to be discussed, particularly because of how badly they reflect on our province and how the future is looking less promising for our youths instead of more promising.
British Columbia currently has a very high ranking among the provinces of Canada for people under LICO after taxes. By comparison to the rest of Canada, British Columbia has the highest percentage of families under the Low Income Cut Off after taxes, with the rate approaching twenty percent in major urban areas. This level of poverty comes as average wages are the third best in the province, demonstrating that the average is almost entirely based on increases in the top earners’ salaries and not on a benefit to those people who need the money the most in society. This level of poverty is unlikely to improve, as British Columbia’s high school graduation rate is continuing to decline, this year reaching a new low of only 70.5% of high school seniors being projected to graduate from high school this year. Combined with statistics showing a mere 49% of aboriginal students graduating within six years at a secondary school, future generations appear to be saddled with an increasing risk of falling into poverty, as the board itself notes in its reasoning for tracking high school graduation rates. What is most disturbing about this statistic is that, as with most other areas of development in British Columbia, it is rural BC that loses out and has the lowest graduation rates, excepting Victoria, which appears to be an anomaly among urban centers in the province. Poor education scores in rural British Columbia are not limited to secondary school graduation rates. This same study has shown that citizens in rural BC are less than half as likely to obtain a post-secondary degree as their urban counterparts.
The rural to urban divide continues in other areas of BC development. Life expectancy continues to be an issue for rural British Columbia, with life expectancies almost two years lower in rural BC as compared to urban areas. Rural British Columbia is also failing to produce as many new businesses as the urban areas, with the per capita rate in rural BC being less than fifty percent the rate for Vancouver and other urban areas in the province.
Of course, there are a few places where the urban and rural parts of the province are being failed equally badly by the BC Liberals. Our children are being failed by the government right from the moment they are born, with a greater percentage of live births being underweight than ever before. This can only come from the fact that there is less primary care available to mothers during their pregnancy period, no doubt a side effect of the Liberals’ cuts to health care funding. Personal and property crimes are also well above the national average and have not been improving either. Vancouver, as a city, was ranked sixteenth among seventeen large urban centers for crime, and the rest of the province does no better, being ranked as the second worst province for personal and property crimes. A very small solace can be taken for urban British Columbians; whatever crime they have is much worse in rural BC, with personal and property crimes being sixty percent more likely to occur in rural BC than in urban British Columbia.
The statistics here were taken from the Government’s BC Progress Council.
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Urban farming evaporating
There's been a lot of use of the word 'sustainability' in the past, but its mostly been in the abstract in terms of policies that could be enacted by a government once in power. There are sustainable things we can be doing right now, but are actually cutting back on. I'm talking about urban farms, which have been slowly disappearing in the lower mainland. This year the Vancouver Parks Board voted to close down the Stanley Park Farm, which was one of two sustainable farms in Vancouver. The other farm, the UBC farm, is undergoing the process of being certified organic and sustainable, and has been reduced in size. These farms and others like them give British Columbians a chance to enjoy locally grown food that isn't filled with chemicals and other additives.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
No more taxes!
The new harmonized sales tax proposed by the BC Liberals, to be put in place for July 1, 2010 is easily the best way to destroy our recovering economy.
On paper, the harmonized tax looks as though it won’t change the cost of any goods as you currently purchase them.
This is untrue.
The harmonized sales tax forces consumers to pay what was previously the goods and service tax on goods that was not previously taxed, thus increasing the price of things such as “non-essential” groceries, as determined by the government.
First and foremost, how do the BC Liberals intend on paying for the tax rebates promised by switching to the harmonized sales tax? The BC Liberal website claims that there will be yet another low income tax credit, just as there is with the carbon tax. It claims that there will be rebates on all new housing projects, as well as rebates for municipalities, churches and other qualifying non-profit organizations. The Liberals state the harmonized sales tax will remove over $2 billion in costs from B.C. businesses. With the Canadian government only giving the province
$1.6 billion to cover the transition to the new harmonized tax, where will the money be found to cover the costs of the rebates, as there is no new government income being created, if you ask the BC Liberals.
So how does the government propose that the taxpayers pay for their own rebates? It seems that there is no answer provided. Make no mistake, this inability to answer where the money to pay for the tax shift is problematic, and could undermine the economic recovery we currently have in place.
Why do we suddenly need to switch to this new harmonized sales tax?
Ever since Premier Gordon Campbell won his first term in government, the BC Liberals have been trumpeting how British Columbia is the best place on earth. There’s no disputing that from me, but if British Columbia is such an attractive place to live and set up businesses, why is the government so interested in suddenly fiddling with the tax system that made us the best place on earth, especially at such a critical moment when the economy is beginning to experience positive growth again.
What do they hope to gain by changing how we pay taxes?
This is just another choice made by the BC Liberals. A choice to protect and help their friends in big business instead of helping the middle class of British Columbia.
No help for B.C. families, just B.C. CEOs.
Say no to the harmonized sales tax.
On paper, the harmonized tax looks as though it won’t change the cost of any goods as you currently purchase them.
This is untrue.
The harmonized sales tax forces consumers to pay what was previously the goods and service tax on goods that was not previously taxed, thus increasing the price of things such as “non-essential” groceries, as determined by the government.
First and foremost, how do the BC Liberals intend on paying for the tax rebates promised by switching to the harmonized sales tax? The BC Liberal website claims that there will be yet another low income tax credit, just as there is with the carbon tax. It claims that there will be rebates on all new housing projects, as well as rebates for municipalities, churches and other qualifying non-profit organizations. The Liberals state the harmonized sales tax will remove over $2 billion in costs from B.C. businesses. With the Canadian government only giving the province
$1.6 billion to cover the transition to the new harmonized tax, where will the money be found to cover the costs of the rebates, as there is no new government income being created, if you ask the BC Liberals.
So how does the government propose that the taxpayers pay for their own rebates? It seems that there is no answer provided. Make no mistake, this inability to answer where the money to pay for the tax shift is problematic, and could undermine the economic recovery we currently have in place.
Why do we suddenly need to switch to this new harmonized sales tax?
Ever since Premier Gordon Campbell won his first term in government, the BC Liberals have been trumpeting how British Columbia is the best place on earth. There’s no disputing that from me, but if British Columbia is such an attractive place to live and set up businesses, why is the government so interested in suddenly fiddling with the tax system that made us the best place on earth, especially at such a critical moment when the economy is beginning to experience positive growth again.
What do they hope to gain by changing how we pay taxes?
This is just another choice made by the BC Liberals. A choice to protect and help their friends in big business instead of helping the middle class of British Columbia.
No help for B.C. families, just B.C. CEOs.
Say no to the harmonized sales tax.
September Budget Panned
Sorry, I know, its not even close to September anymore, I forgot to add it here.
The British Columbia budget has been unveiled, hoping to spread enough love to citizens and to distract from the furor of the Harmonized Sales Tax.
It’s unfortunate events are not unfolding as the BC Liberals would have preferred they turn out. The budget is a disaster for hardworking, everyday British Columbians; too many benefits for big businesses, not enough help for the working families that make up so much of our province.
We have a budget that cuts payments to our health care system and to our culture and arts, but has money available to give prisoners flatscreen televisions. We have been told income taxes will be cut again to make certain that the HST is revenue neutral, so why is it a family of four will actually pay more in taxes, before factoring in the increased costs of goods and services.
Even for those who are getting a tax ‘reduction’ thanks to the HST will end up paying more; a retired couple making $30,000 a year will actually pay $238 dollars less in taxes, but that will be a small comfort to them when the goods they purchase eat up those savings and more.
The HST will condemn working families and lower income British Columbians to a lower standard of living, just so the BC Liberals can kickback more money to their corporate owners.
This budget will sound the death knell of the middle class, with increased taxes and no new services to show for it. It makes one wonder just what our tax money is being used for, if not for the services that the BC Liberals slashed repeatedly.
The British Columbia budget has been unveiled, hoping to spread enough love to citizens and to distract from the furor of the Harmonized Sales Tax.
It’s unfortunate events are not unfolding as the BC Liberals would have preferred they turn out. The budget is a disaster for hardworking, everyday British Columbians; too many benefits for big businesses, not enough help for the working families that make up so much of our province.
We have a budget that cuts payments to our health care system and to our culture and arts, but has money available to give prisoners flatscreen televisions. We have been told income taxes will be cut again to make certain that the HST is revenue neutral, so why is it a family of four will actually pay more in taxes, before factoring in the increased costs of goods and services.
Even for those who are getting a tax ‘reduction’ thanks to the HST will end up paying more; a retired couple making $30,000 a year will actually pay $238 dollars less in taxes, but that will be a small comfort to them when the goods they purchase eat up those savings and more.
The HST will condemn working families and lower income British Columbians to a lower standard of living, just so the BC Liberals can kickback more money to their corporate owners.
This budget will sound the death knell of the middle class, with increased taxes and no new services to show for it. It makes one wonder just what our tax money is being used for, if not for the services that the BC Liberals slashed repeatedly.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Child Labour, far from slavery?
The newest reports on child labour have been released this week, and the information is truly startling.
Questions have to be asked of our BC Liberal government as to why they’ve allowed things to become as bad as they are for today’s youth.
Child labour has become more accepted, as youths require more money to do the things they enjoy, and to support their families in these tough economic times.
So why is it that the government refuses to enact means to protect our most vulnerable workers.
I would like to ask Mary Polak, the Minister of Children and Family Development, and Murray Coell, the Minister of Labour a few questions, since this relates to their cabinet portfolios.
First:
Why do you support a law that allows youths from 12 to 14 to work if they have written parental consent, when more than 58 per cent of those youth report that they have not obtained that consent or given it to their employer?
Where is the accountability in creating a law and then doing nothing to ensure it is upheld?
Second:
For the sixth year in a row, British Columbia has stood as the province with the worst child poverty rate in Canada.
How are you working to end child poverty in B.C.?
Finally:
Why does the government not create legislation outlining what kinds of jobs young people can work in?
British Columbia is the only province that does not have any laws or regulations regarding the occupations or tasks that a youth can work.
How can this government claim to care about youth and put them first when there are no restrictions on the kinds of jobs they perform, including dangerous jobs not suited to younger people?
Questions have to be asked of our BC Liberal government as to why they’ve allowed things to become as bad as they are for today’s youth.
Child labour has become more accepted, as youths require more money to do the things they enjoy, and to support their families in these tough economic times.
So why is it that the government refuses to enact means to protect our most vulnerable workers.
I would like to ask Mary Polak, the Minister of Children and Family Development, and Murray Coell, the Minister of Labour a few questions, since this relates to their cabinet portfolios.
First:
Why do you support a law that allows youths from 12 to 14 to work if they have written parental consent, when more than 58 per cent of those youth report that they have not obtained that consent or given it to their employer?
Where is the accountability in creating a law and then doing nothing to ensure it is upheld?
Second:
For the sixth year in a row, British Columbia has stood as the province with the worst child poverty rate in Canada.
How are you working to end child poverty in B.C.?
Finally:
Why does the government not create legislation outlining what kinds of jobs young people can work in?
British Columbia is the only province that does not have any laws or regulations regarding the occupations or tasks that a youth can work.
How can this government claim to care about youth and put them first when there are no restrictions on the kinds of jobs they perform, including dangerous jobs not suited to younger people?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Homelessness and Poverty
Poverty in British Columbia is becoming a persistant black mark against our province. For the past six years, all years of BC Liberal governance, British Columbia has ranked as the province with the highest child poverty rates in Canada. Furthermore, in the city of Burnaby where I so happily reside, 29.2% of all children live in poverty. This is heartbreaking on so many levels and needs to be rectified immediately.
There are so many things that can be done, at local, provincial and national levels of government, and even just by regular people reaching out and lending a hand.
Local governments can pitch in by raising awareness of the issues within the city, and re-zoning buildings to be used for social housing or emergency shelters for those who need help getting back on their feet.
Provincial Government; this is the time to start building up social housing in major cities and in every other city in your provinces. We've all been given an influx of cash from the stimulus package, use this money to construct low cost housing for the most vulnerable in society instead of things that can't help allieviate a problem that the United Nations now calls a national emergency.
The Federal Government need to start putting together a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem in a systematic, uniform method that all the provinces can work with. Canada is now the only industrialized nation without a national plan, and it shows in the statistics regarding our poverty levels.
The three levels of government have to start working together to solve this problem, because its not going to solve itself, and these are lives that are being ruined in poverty instead of contributing to society.
For individuals who want to get involved, stick with non-profit organizations, there are charity groups in every city and town just desperate for more volunteers to help feed those in need. Especially since this is now getting into winter, any kind of donation to charitable organizations is welcome, or even a donation of money if you don't have non-perishable food or warm clothes to donate.
The only societies that have poverty are those that allow poverty to exist. Together as citizens and as government organizations, we can work together and defeat poverty in our lifetimes.
There are so many things that can be done, at local, provincial and national levels of government, and even just by regular people reaching out and lending a hand.
Local governments can pitch in by raising awareness of the issues within the city, and re-zoning buildings to be used for social housing or emergency shelters for those who need help getting back on their feet.
Provincial Government; this is the time to start building up social housing in major cities and in every other city in your provinces. We've all been given an influx of cash from the stimulus package, use this money to construct low cost housing for the most vulnerable in society instead of things that can't help allieviate a problem that the United Nations now calls a national emergency.
The Federal Government need to start putting together a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem in a systematic, uniform method that all the provinces can work with. Canada is now the only industrialized nation without a national plan, and it shows in the statistics regarding our poverty levels.
The three levels of government have to start working together to solve this problem, because its not going to solve itself, and these are lives that are being ruined in poverty instead of contributing to society.
For individuals who want to get involved, stick with non-profit organizations, there are charity groups in every city and town just desperate for more volunteers to help feed those in need. Especially since this is now getting into winter, any kind of donation to charitable organizations is welcome, or even a donation of money if you don't have non-perishable food or warm clothes to donate.
The only societies that have poverty are those that allow poverty to exist. Together as citizens and as government organizations, we can work together and defeat poverty in our lifetimes.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Questions to a Cabinet Minister, or two.
The newest reports on child labour have been released today, and the information held within is truly startling. Startling enough that questions have to be asked of our Liberal Government as to why they've allowed things to become as bad as they are for today's youths. Child labour has become more accepted, as youths require more money to do the things they enjoy, and to support their families in these tough economic times, so why is it that the Government refuses to enact means to protect our most vulnerable workers.
So I would like to ask the Honourable Mary Polak, the Minister of Children and Family Development, and the honourable Murray Coell, the Minister of Labour a few questions, since this does relate to their Cabinet portfolios.
First; Why is it that you are supportive of the law that allows youths from the ages of twelve to fourteen to work if they have written parental consent when over fifty-eight percent of those youth report that they have not obtained that consent or given it to their employer? Where is the accountability in creating a law and then doing nothing to ensure it is upheld? Our youth deserve better than to possibly be working without their parents' knowledge or consent.
Second; For the sixth year in a row, British Columbia has stood as the province with the worst child poverty rate in Canada. How are you working to end child poverty in British Columbia, and why have we constantly been ranked as the worst province under your watch? Children should not have to worry about food on their plates or a roof over their heads, but under your governance and guidance, more and more of our youths have to decide between housing and eating everyday, and British Columbians deserve to know why its becoming more of a problem instead of less of one, and what you will do to alter the dismal record your government has created.
Third; The limitations on how long a young person can work in a week are well thought out, but I would like to ask the Honourable Ministers how this is enforced. How does the Government expect British Columbians to believe they can adequately check on the number of hours worked by a youth in a week when they eliminated the only means available to the Government to even know how many youths were in the workforce? Can it please be explained how the Ministers and their staffs are to protect people they do not know are working. Citizens deserve to know how enforcement of youth protections is carried out when the Government cannot possibly be aware of how many youths there are working.
Finally; Why does the Government not legislation outlining what kinds of jobs young people can work in? British Columbia is the only province that does not have any laws or regulations regarding the occupations or tasks that a youth can work. How can this Government claim to care about youths and put youths first when there are no restrictions on the kinds of jobs they perform, including dangerous jobs not suited to younger people.
Thank you Ministers, I hope that you will respond and tell British Columbians that their children are indeed safe in the workplace, and show us how true that statement is with some facts.
So I would like to ask the Honourable Mary Polak, the Minister of Children and Family Development, and the honourable Murray Coell, the Minister of Labour a few questions, since this does relate to their Cabinet portfolios.
First; Why is it that you are supportive of the law that allows youths from the ages of twelve to fourteen to work if they have written parental consent when over fifty-eight percent of those youth report that they have not obtained that consent or given it to their employer? Where is the accountability in creating a law and then doing nothing to ensure it is upheld? Our youth deserve better than to possibly be working without their parents' knowledge or consent.
Second; For the sixth year in a row, British Columbia has stood as the province with the worst child poverty rate in Canada. How are you working to end child poverty in British Columbia, and why have we constantly been ranked as the worst province under your watch? Children should not have to worry about food on their plates or a roof over their heads, but under your governance and guidance, more and more of our youths have to decide between housing and eating everyday, and British Columbians deserve to know why its becoming more of a problem instead of less of one, and what you will do to alter the dismal record your government has created.
Third; The limitations on how long a young person can work in a week are well thought out, but I would like to ask the Honourable Ministers how this is enforced. How does the Government expect British Columbians to believe they can adequately check on the number of hours worked by a youth in a week when they eliminated the only means available to the Government to even know how many youths were in the workforce? Can it please be explained how the Ministers and their staffs are to protect people they do not know are working. Citizens deserve to know how enforcement of youth protections is carried out when the Government cannot possibly be aware of how many youths there are working.
Finally; Why does the Government not legislation outlining what kinds of jobs young people can work in? British Columbia is the only province that does not have any laws or regulations regarding the occupations or tasks that a youth can work. How can this Government claim to care about youths and put youths first when there are no restrictions on the kinds of jobs they perform, including dangerous jobs not suited to younger people.
Thank you Ministers, I hope that you will respond and tell British Columbians that their children are indeed safe in the workplace, and show us how true that statement is with some facts.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Harmonized sales tax
The new harmonized sales tax proposed by the BC Liberals, to be put in place for July 1st 2010 is easily the best way to destroy our recovering economy. On paper, the harmonized tax looks as though it won't change the cost of any goods as you currently purchase them. This is untrue. The harmonized sales tax forces consumers to pay what was previously the goods and service tax on goods that was not previously taxed, thus increasing the price of things such as "non-essential" groceries, as determined by the government.
First and foremost, how do the BC Liberals intend on paying for the tax rebates promised by switching to the harmonized sales tax? The BC Liberal website claims that there will be yet another low income tax credit, just as there is with the carbon tax. It claims that there will be rebates on all new housing projects, as well as rebates municipalities, churches and other qualifying non-profit organizations. The BC Liberals state that the harmonized sales tax will remove over 2 billion dollars in costs from BC businesses. With the Canadian Government only giving the province 1.6 billion dollars to cover the transition to the new harmonized tax, where will the money be found to cover the costs of the rebates, as there is no new government income being created, if you ask the BC Liberals. So how does the government propose that the taxpayers pay for their own rebates? It seems that there is no answer given to that by the BC Liberals. Make no mistake, this inability to answer where the money to pay for the tax shift is problematic, and could undermine the economic recovery we currently have in place.
Why do we suddenly need to switch over to this new harmonized sales tax? Ever since Premier Campbell won his first term in government, the BC Liberals have been trumpeting how British Columbia is the best place on earth. There's no disputing that from me, but if British Columbia is such an attractive place to live and set up businesses, why is the government so interested in suddenly fiddling with the tax system that made us the best place on earth, especially at such a critical moment when the economy is beginning to experience positive growth again. What do the BC Liberals hope to gain by changing how we pay taxes?
But there doesn't need to be an answer given, this is just another choice made by the BC Liberals. A choice to protect and help their friends in big business instead of helping the middle class of British Columbia. No help for BC families, just BC CEOs.
Say no to the harmonized sales tax.
First and foremost, how do the BC Liberals intend on paying for the tax rebates promised by switching to the harmonized sales tax? The BC Liberal website claims that there will be yet another low income tax credit, just as there is with the carbon tax. It claims that there will be rebates on all new housing projects, as well as rebates municipalities, churches and other qualifying non-profit organizations. The BC Liberals state that the harmonized sales tax will remove over 2 billion dollars in costs from BC businesses. With the Canadian Government only giving the province 1.6 billion dollars to cover the transition to the new harmonized tax, where will the money be found to cover the costs of the rebates, as there is no new government income being created, if you ask the BC Liberals. So how does the government propose that the taxpayers pay for their own rebates? It seems that there is no answer given to that by the BC Liberals. Make no mistake, this inability to answer where the money to pay for the tax shift is problematic, and could undermine the economic recovery we currently have in place.
Why do we suddenly need to switch over to this new harmonized sales tax? Ever since Premier Campbell won his first term in government, the BC Liberals have been trumpeting how British Columbia is the best place on earth. There's no disputing that from me, but if British Columbia is such an attractive place to live and set up businesses, why is the government so interested in suddenly fiddling with the tax system that made us the best place on earth, especially at such a critical moment when the economy is beginning to experience positive growth again. What do the BC Liberals hope to gain by changing how we pay taxes?
But there doesn't need to be an answer given, this is just another choice made by the BC Liberals. A choice to protect and help their friends in big business instead of helping the middle class of British Columbia. No help for BC families, just BC CEOs.
Say no to the harmonized sales tax.
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