The dust has settled from the federal election, and unfortunately Canadians voted for more of the same. More inflation, more deficits, more debt, more unaffordable housing, more centralized government.
Canada needs significant change to empower communities, small businesses, and low-income families. Our current economic system rewards capital more than work. Our current government enriches politicians, bureaucrats, government contractors, and multinational corporations at the expense of everyone else.
Canada is also running the risk of devolving into a two-party system. 85% of the vote went to the Liberal and Conservative parties. A two-party system will not serve working class Canadians and will not enact meaningful change.
With the rising cost of living, many Canadians are being left behind. Low-income workers should be the government's top priority. Too many Canadians work full-time but still struggle to pay the bills.
Here are 6 policies that would make life significantly better for working class and middle class Canadians:
• No income tax for every worker earning under $60,000 a year.
• Tax large businesses, not small businesses.
• Raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour and index to inflation.
• Train and hire more healthcare workers, especially doctors.
• Properly fund Indigenous communities, including water infrastructure, healthcare, and education. The federal government forced many Indigenous people into poverty and must make amends by fully honouring the treaties.
• Stop running deficits. Deficit spending fuels inflation and increases debt servicing payments.
We will not see policies like these from Carney's Liberals. The NDP supports some of these policies, but falls short when it comes to reducing the tax burden on low-income Canadians and deficit spending. Fiscal mismanagement is not progressive. Ballooning debt servicing payments is not progressive. Every dollar spent on interest could be better spent on healthcare and other priorities for the working class. In short, deficits don't fix problems, but merely postpone them (or make them worse).
In order to balance the budget while maintaining sufficient spending for essentials such as healthcare, Canadian governments should put an end to corporate welfare, including subsidies and preferential treatment for large corporations. The federal government should also stop funding overseas wars with military and financial aid.
Canadians deserve better than a two-party Liberal-Conservative government dedicated to the status quo. We deserve better than an NDP government that would expand government powers and spending, increasing deficits, debt, and inflation. There must be a better way: a government that serves workers, allowing every Canadian to earn a living.