While there's a few little exceptions, like in New Brunswick with the middle class and higher income earners, who, thanks to dorky Liberal premier Shawn Graham, will wind up paying more tax (to Dorky Shawn), overall, the tax picture for Canadians looks quite a bit more positive for 2008 and beyond, beginning with tax filings for 2007 and purchases made in the New Year, with real savings all over the place, particularly for those in lower-than-middle-class income levels, like many of us.
This tax relief will have a positive effect on the economy, boosting consumer spending, multiplying the effect all over the place.
Admittedly, I'm a little annoyed with the increase in the CPP payroll tax take. Hard to believe they did that, but, hey, no matter who we put in power, including our own people, we'll never, ever get everything the way we want it all the time. Anyway, there really ought to be alternatives to the CPP so that it doesn't have to be so bloody expensive (and don't forget it was the Liberals under the so-called "conservative" Paul Martin who hiked the CPP tax take by a huuuuuge amount in the first place).
So what I want wrt taxes is for them to continue to go down so as to boost the economy as well as providing Canadians with a better quality of life (on their own terms as opposed to on the dictated, one-size-fits-all terms of some leftist regime like the Liberals would be). Corporate taxes must continue to fall to give Canadian business, particularly manufacturing, an international comparative advantage and encourage domestic investment and economic activity... again boosting the economy and the federal treasury so that we can boost investment in critical areas such as infrastructure, law enforcement, national security, the military, health protection (gotta crack down on toxic toys from China and so on!)...
I think we're moving in the right direction, largely conservative (though not quite as conservative as many, including myself, would prefer) the way things are going. Granted, we cannot do everything we need to do right away, but we must be patient, as, after all, patience is a part of conservatism (conservatives, unlike Liberals, will wait for conditions to be appropriate and don't try to go swimming when the lake is still cold enough to make the old willy shrivel up and fall off).
