[Newsbot]

Title: Canada best place for business, Forbes says
Category: Business
Posted By: Curtman
Date: 2011-10-04 16:32:29
Canadian

[sandorski]

"The influential U.S. business magazine says the improvement is in part because of the introduction of the harmonized sales tax last year in Ontario and B.C."

Oops...

[BeaverFever]

sandorski sandorski:

"The influential U.S. business magazine says the improvement is in part because of the introduction of the harmonized sales tax last year in Ontario and B.C."

Oops...

*Crickets Chirping*


I think some people are hoping that little fact to disappear from the written record as soon as possible so they can pretend it doesnt exist.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

[sandorski]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

Uhh wut? Your Strawman strays way off topic.

[bootlegga]

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

[eureka]

bootlegga bootlegga:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

True! When one also considers that the whole idea of corporate tax cuts was nothing but "Conservative" ideology anyway, then it calls into question ever economic action of this government since it has little to offer but tax mantras.

Corporate tax cuts began around 1980 with the succes of Right Wing elements in most Western societies and in the International Institutions. Since then, there has been a steady economic and social decline in every Western society and a transfer of wealth and income (and hope) away from the lower income groups.

A decade or so ago the Nobel winner and welfare economist, Amartya Sen, did a study of the growth rates between High and low taxed economies and found no difference.

The difference that he did no state, but which has become increasingly apparent, is the lower levels of social programmes that high taxed economies have: the weaker health systems that they have: and the greater poverty levels that they have with the disparity in wealth and income.

[peck420]

bootlegga bootlegga:

[Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

I thought the point of the tax cuts was to help draw new business in. Help the economy get back into a position of doing well.

Then, when times are good, you creep the taxes back up to reap the rewards.

But, that could just be me.

[OnTheIce]

bootlegga bootlegga:

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

Point being, had the Liberals made the move's Harper did, you and other Liberal backers would find reasons to support the tax cuts.

Paul Martin did the same thing in 1995. Canada was in a huge hole and he cut 20+ billion in corporate taxes over 3 years.

It's funny how it works. When a Conservative politician slashes spending and lowers corporate taxes...he's the devil. When a Liberal politician does the same, they've often looked at as a financial "wizard".

Our society is very forgiving to Liberal politicians for their financial decisions. Conservatives don't have such a luxury.

[andyt]

Wall Street, pre 2008 (and still, of course) was a pretty good place to do business too.

[Proculation]

bootlegga bootlegga:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

I don't understand your logic. Are you saying that tax cuts are bad in a recession ?

Also, you can't say that since there will be 60 billions$ in tax cuts, there will be 60 billions$ less in taxes. Tax cuts give more opportunities to industry. That means more investments, more R&D, more jobs, so, more tax revenue for the government. That's a basic economics principle.

[Bruce_the_vii]

Oh boy. A basic economic principle. You cut taxes and jobs materialize. It's all very simple. The idea is that business makes a rate of return the world over despite taxes because, hey, taxes are passed on to the customer is bad economics. There's only one tax payer.

[bootlegga]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

bootlegga bootlegga:

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

Point being, had the Liberals made the move's Harper did, you and other Liberal backers would find reasons to support the tax cuts.

Paul Martin did the same thing in 1995. Canada was in a huge hole and he cut 20+ billion in corporate taxes over 3 years.

It's funny how it works. When a Conservative politician slashes spending and lowers corporate taxes...he's the devil. When a Liberal politician does the same, they've often looked at as a financial "wizard".

Our society is very forgiving to Liberal politicians for their financial decisions. Conservatives don't have such a luxury.

Oh please stop projecting your partisanship on others. Frankly coming from the most partisan conservative on CKA, this is little more than the pot calling the kettle black.

As I have said over and over, I'm not a Liberal supporter, I'm a centrist.

I've also said that there currently is NO party which adequately represents me.

Your party is too far right, planning a war on crime which will cost more than double what crime prevention does now, wants to eliminate the gun registry, party subsidies and cut taxes for people and corporation which don't need it. The one thing that they had going for them was a solid defence policy - but after five years in office, they haven't been very effective there either. It's not surprising though, as defence spending has never gotten big votes in this country, so Harper's actions here mirror the Liberals own defence failings.

Now, if the old PCs were still around, I'd probably vote for them, as I'm probably closest to a Red Tory. Alas, they were swallowed (and then buried) by the current incarnation and as long as they remain that far on the right, will probably never get my vote.

The NDP and the Liberals are too far left (far too concerned with the environment & health care and less concerned with what I consider equally pressing matters - education, defence and the economy).

Frankly, out of all the things I saw in the election platforms of all three major parties (sorry Greens), the only thing I really liked was the liberal platform to re-invest in post-secondary education (Education passport or something). In the end, I knew it would make no difference who I voted for (the Conservative incumbent won by 20,000+ votes), so I voted against the Conservatives as a protest, nothing more.

As for the thread conversation, comparing Martin and Harper is like comparing apples and oranges. There was no global recession (possibly a double dip one at that too) occurring when Martin cut taxes - on the contrary, the world was in the beginnings of the dotcom boom and the economy was humming along.

He did exactly what I said cut taxes when the economy was doing well, not in the midst of a recession.

[Proculation]

Bruce_the_vii Bruce_the_vii:

Oh boy. A basic economic principle. You cut taxes and jobs materialize. It's all very simple. The idea is that business makes a rate of return the world over despite taxes because, hey, taxes are passed on to the customer is bad economics. There's only one tax payer.

I see the sarcasm but you are ridiculizing by oversimpliying what I said. That's not an argument. That's cheap rhetoric.

But, where did I say that taxes were not passed to the customer ?

[bootlegga]

Proculation Proculation:

bootlegga bootlegga:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Again, there's nothing wrong with the HST. It's the baggage that came with it.
And let's face it, despite the gnashing of teeth that has gone on in this forum about Harper [potentially] throwing some nice tax cuts to corporations, it seems those types of cuts are just wonderful when a Liberal gives them.
But hey, the reduction of the corporate tax rate from 14% to 10% had nothing to do with the improvement in Ontario. Talk about chirping crickets

So, if I understand the smarmy attitude here, when the Conservatives give corporate tax cuts, it's little more than corporate cronyism, but when the Liberals give out corporate tax cuts, it's for the betterment of all.
Keep in mind of course that higher taxes for the individual accompanied those corporate tax reductions.

The problem with the Conservatives proposed cuts was because Canada's WERE already one of the lowest in the OECD (and the lowest in the G8 IIRC) AND the fact that the world was in the midst of a recession AND his government was running a record breaking $50 billion+ deficit for the past couple years.

That's a perfect storm for economic disaster IMHO.

Handing out $60 billion in tax cuts (admittedly over ten years) while your government is running a monstrous deficit is poor financial planning, period - no matter who does it. The time for tax cuts is while the economy is doing well AND you're not running a deficit.

If Harper wanted to cut corporate taxes, the time to do it was 2006, not 2011.

I don't understand your logic. Are you saying that tax cuts are bad in a recession ?

Also, you can't say that since there will be 60 billions$ in tax cuts, there will be 60 billions$ less in taxes. Tax cuts give more opportunities to industry. That means more investments, more R&D, more jobs, so, more tax revenue for the government. That's a basic economics principle.

When the global economy is in the throes of a recession (or depression) and your government is already running a huge deficit and your corporate taxes are already amongst the lowest in the developed world, then no you should not be pursuing billions of dollars in corporate tax cuts.

That's essentially the same as using a credit card to pay off another credit card. Actually, it's probably worse, because we lack the financial wherewithal to pay off the credit card in time to avoid even more interest payments.

As I said, the time to cut taxes is when times are good. We definitely shouldn't be borrowing against the future to give tax cuts to multinational corporations.