Is The Canadian Public Really That Stupid? / Robert Ing, www.drroberting.

ca, 5 April 2011

Is The Canadian Public Really That Stupid?

By Robert Ing, www.drroberting.ca, 5 April 2011

I was born and raised in Canada, and proud to be a Canadian by

birth. I sincerely love my country but have realized over the years
that its management by our ‘elected’ government is more of an
opportunity for those we ‘elect’ to grandstand, live the high life off of
our well and hard earned mandatory tax dollars, and to appoint and
reward their ‘good friends’ while we the people still struggle as the
working poor. Doesn’t seem to matter from what I can see as to any
major difference in the modus operandi of the big three political
parties - Conservatives, Liberals, NDP - they all have their ‘token’
issues that will appease some voters, somewhere but in the end
NOTHING CHANGES for the taxpayer. Child poverty, the working
poor, corporations gouging and screwing citizens with high interest
rates and service fees, the complete eradication of the middle class,
and don’t forget the continual invasion of privacy and diminished
citizens rights and freedoms for our own safety and security.

As well, the politicians voting themselves raises and increasing their

benefits annually while cutting back budgets on healthcare,
education, and social services (childcare, retraining programs, etc.) to
name a few is a very sore point with me and this is done by
Conservatives, Liberals and NDP members alike.

It is these ‘elected’ people that have eroded and continue to erode

Canada, Canadian Culture, Canadian Resources and have made
every citizen of this once great country a tax slave.

If the government is really of the people and our Prime Minister, MPs,
Premiers and MPPs are elected to serve the citizens who pay the
bills through taxes and mandate these people to deliver the basic
services to its citizens, why is it that those in power keep how they
spend some of the money we entrust to them, secret or restricted
information? Is this not our money? Did we not elect them? Are
they not allegedly in our service?

As for elections, all of the parties and leaders are in a constant state
of childlike behaviour. They will point out all of the wrong or bad
things about their opponent - but what specifically are they committed

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 Is The Canadian Public Really That Stupid? / Robert Ing, www.drroberting.ca, 5 April 2011

to do? Specifically. Rather than being childlike character assassins

of those who oppose them, wouldn’t it be better to know exactly what
they see as the issues and how they propose to deal with them. As
well, the current government seeking election is telling me via the
media of all the great things they are going to do if re-elected. One
question, why are you telling me you are going to do these great
things now - what happened to the four years that just passed - what
have you done? I see some citizens still have to work 2 to 3 jobs to
survive still. I see that we still have child poverty and our schools are
inadequately funded. I see our ‘world class’ healthcare system still
needs doctors, nurses and is still overburdened. I also see that you,
our elected officials still act like children while in session bickering
over trivia and giving yourselves perks and bonuses every year, all
the while these problems still remain unresolved. I could go on, but if
you think about your life and family in your own community, you can
no doubt add to this list.

Well, that’s my two cents - my blog. This note all started because I
received an e-mail from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation about
sending in questions for an upcoming ‘Leader’s Debate.’ Below are
what the CTF figures are the issues we should focus on, but in my
opinion the registered Canadian voter still doesn’t get it, and they
haven’t gotten it for years. Regrettably neither do the non-
government watch dog groups.

An excerpt from the CTF e-mail I received dated 5 April 2011.

1. Taxpayers pay $84.4-million a day on federal debt interest. Do you

think this is a good use of tax dollars, and if not, why is there not
more urgency around balancing the budget and paying down debt?

2. Will you commit to no tax increases during your term as prime

minister?

3. Will you commit to not increasing your MP compensation in the

next term or at least until the budget is balanced?

4. Will you commit to making the auditor general’s audit public on

how Parliament spends half-a-billion tax dollars when it comes out

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 Is The Canadian Public Really That Stupid? / Robert Ing, www.drroberting.ca, 5 April 2011

later this year?

5. The federal government hands out billions in direct subsidies and

loans to business in Canada. Instead of high business taxes, why not
lower them for everybody and end subsides for select businesses
and industries?

6. Employment in the civil service has grown by 3,700 bureaucrats

since 2005, a 13% increase. Do you think this is responsible or
sustainable given the deficit?

7. What plan do you have to address the costs associated with an

aging population whereby fewer taxpayers support higher costs
associated with social security and health care?

8. The tax-funded compensation of all elected officials in Canada is

subject to public disclosure except elected officials
on native reserves. Will you support a law requiring the compensation
of reserve politicians be posted online?

9. MP Pensions are wildly out-of-line with public expectations. For

every $1 contributed by an MP, taxpayers contribute $4. Is that
reasonable? Don’t you think it’s time to reform pensions to a dollar-
for-dollar arrangement as many provincial legislatures have done?

10. Senator Raymond Lavigne recently quit his job in order to hold
onto his pension after being convicted of fraud and breach of trust. If
elected, would you put in place the necessary reforms so that
convicted fraudsters such as Lavigne would not get access to the
taxpayer-funded portion of their pension?

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