Trudeaunomics: Lowering Inflation by Raising Taxes

 

Justin Trudeau committed a misstep that may end up in the history books, or at least in the lore of Canadian electoral politics, this week. He threatened the big food chains that, if they did not do something to stop the rising food prices, he would slap a new tax on them.

Raising food prices yet again.

It is an embarrassment that Canadians ever voted for him, but it seems as though everyone is now embarrassed by him. It took an alarmingly long time, but folks generally are at last seeing through his tiresome act. “The Canadian people expect …. They know we have their backs…. And that’s exactly what we will do.”

And the inevitable scapegoating. 

If he's going to be a clown, he could at least be funny.

The only anti-Conservative memes I see recently online are to the effect of “Yeah, what Poilievre says sounds great, but he will not deliver.” And “Don’t vote Tory just because you are mad at the Liberals. Ask Ontario.” 

Neither gives a reason for voting Liberal; both concede that the Liberals are awful. 

Why not vote for the mere chance of something better?

And that cannot be the NDP, who simply support the Liberals.

That so, what’s your alternative?

No Representation without Taxation?

The Boston Tea Party.

There is an interesting implied corollary to the war cry under which the American Revolution was waged. If 'no taxation without representation,' then why not 'no representation without taxation'?

In fact, in the early years of Canadian democracy, and perhaps elsewhere, this was taken for granted. Anyone receiving public assistance was excluded from the voter rolls. So was anyone receiving a wage from the government—that is, the civil service. The point, and it is reasonable enough, was that any such person had a conflict of interest. Couldn't they just vote themselves more money?

It seems to me it would be a small enough sacrifice, for those truly in need. And, although largely symbolic, it would tend to end any sense of entitlement, among both the recipients of public assistance and the civil service.

Of course, it would probably devastate the NDP...