To attract the sympathy of Canadians in view of the next federal elections, Justin Trudeau decided to play Santa Claus by distributing hundreds of dollars to them. This electoral gift will collectively cost us the sum of $6.3 billion.
It’s not so much the sum of $6.3 billion that shocks me as the way it will be distributed.
WHO DESERVES THE $250 GIFT CERTIFICATE?
Justin Trudeau will pay $250 to 18.7 million workers next spring as a “Canadian Workers Rebate”. This measure alone costs the federal treasury $4.7 billion.
It makes no sense to give such a $250 check to workers who earn a good living with an individual net income ranging from $100,000 to $150,000.
It would have been much more judicious (and defensible) to see Trudeau limit the payment of said gift certificate to workers earning a maximum of up to an individual net income of $80,000. Which would still bring in $500 in the case of a couple who earn up to $160,000.
And while playing generous Santa Claus, Trudeau absolutely needs to pay his $250 gift certificate to seniors, regardless of whether they work or not.
Not including seniors, as is currently the case, is downright indefensible discrimination against them.
Frankly, is it necessary to remember that seniors also pay taxes of all kinds to the federal government? Therefore, they deserve to be treated equally to Canadian workers.
In addition, Justin Trudeau should also make his gift certificate also eligible for people living on social assistance.
WHAT TO DO TO OBTAIN THE $250?
As essential conditions to receive the $250 federal gift, you must be a resident of Canada on March 31, 2025 and have filed your federal income tax return by December 31.
INSTEAD OF THE TPS HOLIDAY, WHAT SHOULD TRUDEAU HAVE DONE?
We will agree on one thing: the GST holiday on a range of products during the two months from December 14 to February 15, 2025 will clearly benefit high-income households. For what? Because they are the ones who spend the most!
In Quebec, for example, this GST holiday will result in a saving of $100 per $2,000 of expenses for eligible products. If the household spends $4,000 during the two months, it will receive a gift of $200. Meanwhile, the household with tight finances will save barely $50 if it spends $1,000 or $25 if it spends $500.
That said, the Trudeau government estimates the bill for this other “electoral” gift at $1.6 billion.
Instead of granting a GST holiday, Justin Trudeau should have sent a $100 gift certificate to each of the 18 million Canadians who earned less than $50,000 in income in 2023.
With this electoral expenditure of $1.6 billion, Justin Trudeau would have at the very least done a useful job by distributing it to people who are really in need!
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