TO WHAT EXTENT SHOULD CANADIANS SUPPORT SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND TAXATION?

ISSUES FOR CANADIANS, CHAPTER 8

SOCIAL PROGRAMS

• FREE HEALTH CARE… REALLY?

• COMES FROM TAX DOLLARS

• COMES FROM DECISION TO USE TAXES

• AFFECTS QUALITY OF LIFE

X-rays can cost hundreds of dollars.

Other treatments thousands

HOW DO DECISIONS ABOUT SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND TAXATION IN CANADA AND THE USA ATTEMPT

TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS

• SOCIAL PROGRAMS – SERVICES PROVIDED BY

GOV’T AND PAID BY TAXES

• GOAL TO REDUCE ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES

AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING OF EVERYONE

• SOCIAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE HEALTH,

PENSIONS, INCOME ASSISTANCE

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, EDUCATION,

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

• IDEA COMES FROM DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES

EXAMPLE: HEALTH CARE

CANADA

• PUBLIC HEALTH CARE

• TAXES PAY FOR IT

• GOVERNMENT DECIDES WHAT SERVICES

WILL BE COVERED

• GOAL IS TO HEAL, NO MAKE PROFIT

USA

• HEALTH INSURANCE

• PAY INSURANCE COMPANY MONTHLY,

ANNUALLY, OR NOT AT ALL EVEN IF NOT

SICK

• BECOME SICK = INSURANCE COMPANY

PAYS

Which system would you rather deal with?

COMPARISON OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS: HEALTH CARE

CANADA

• EVERY CITIZEN RECEIVES BASIC HEALTH CARE

PAID BY TAXES

• EACH PROVINCE DECIDES WHAT IS

COVERED

• GOVERNED BY CANADA HEALTH ACT

USA

• ONLY LOW INCOME (LESS THAN $15000)

GET HEALTH CARE

• OTHERS MUST PAY INSURANCE (15% DON’T

HAVE INSURANCE)

• GOVERNED BY SOCIAL SECURITY ACT

COMPARISON OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS: PENSIONS

CANADA

• OVER 65, LIVING IN CANADA FOR 10

YEARS, YOU GET PENSION PAID BY TAXES

• OLD AGE SECURITY ACT

USA

• CITIZENS SUPPORT THEMSELVES OR RELY ON

FAMILY

• GOVERNMENT DOES NOT GET INVOLVED

COMPARISON OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS: INCOME ASSISTANCE

CANADA

• BASIC NEEDS (FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER)

PAID FOR BY TAXES FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T

PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES

• INDIVIDUAL PROVINCES DECIDE HOW TO

USE TAX DOLLARS

USA

• BASIC NEEDS PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT

TAX DOLLARS

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS

PROVIDE SOCIAL PROGRAMS

• PROVINCES PAY FOR HEALTH CARE, FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT SAYS HOW

• DID YOU KNOW THE CANADA HEALTH ACT

MUST BE:

• PUBLICALLY ADMINISTERED – NO PROFIT

• COMPREHENSIVE – PROVIDED BY ALL HEALTH

PROFESSIONALS

• UNIVERSAL – AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE

• PORTABLE – AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN CANADA

• ACCESSIBLE – AVAILABLE WITHIN REASONABLE

TIME AND DISTANCE

HEALTH CARE AS A SOCIAL PROGRAM: YES OR NO?

• READ THE ARTICLES ON PAGES 276 AND

277.

• CTC: WHY MIGHT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT

VIEWS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE

HEALTH CARE? IN WHAT WAYS DO

DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT HEALTH CARE

REFLECT DIFFERENT VALUES?

SICKO

WHAT’S THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TAXATION AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS?

• GOVERNMENT COLLECTS TAXES TO PAY FOR

SERVICES

• BOTH FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL

GOVERNMENTS COLLECT TAXES

• TWO TYPES OF FEDERAL TAX – INCOME AND

SALES

• INCOME IS BASED ON MONEY YOU EARN

• SALES IS BASED ON WHAT YOU BUY (GST)

• AVERAGE TAX FOR FAMILY IS $11 000.

WHAT DO TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR?

TAXATION MODEL

HOW DOES PAYING, OR NOT PAYING, TAXES AFEECTQUALITY OF LIFE?

• TAX EVASION MEANS NOT PAYING TAXES

ON INCOME YOU EARN

• TAXES ARE LAW IN ALL COUNTRIES

• REPORT WHAT YOU MAKE

• TAX BASE IS ALL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

• PAYS FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS

• UNDERGROUND ECONOMY (BLACK

MARKET) – WORK WITHOUT PAYING TAXES

WHAT VALUES SHAPE THE ECONOMIC POLICIES OF POLITICAL PARTIES ON SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND

TAXATION?

• POLITICAL PLATFORM DESCRIBES OFFICIAL

POLICIES

• CREATED TO REFLECT VALUES OF IT’S

MEMBERS

• ADD AND REMOVE POLICIES AS NEEDED

PLACE THE PARTY

HAVE YOUR SAY