HST Coming to Ontario in July, It Sucks!

I just checked in the search and I see this topic is not listed anywhere, hopefully it is the right section. I don't know what the problem is with these limp dicked Canadians, but it seems to me this is a pretty touchy subject that is going to get worse. I look at all the government waste, graft, nepotism, the ridiculous pay scales and benefits packages in the government like;

a. 10 100% paid sick days per year, any excuse will do as long as you don't take off more than three days in a row, you can even say mental health day or just not give any reason at all;
b. 127 80% paid sick days per year, as long as you have a doctors note ;-) after which, you just have to work for 20 days and you can do it all over again. I guess 80% is fine since you don't have to pay the gas it makes it like 100% paid;
c. full dental and medical packages plus 3 weeks minimum vacation 1st year;
d. in many cases protection from prosecution for criminals acts, as long as they can get the gag orders in place and spin the story, I can think of a number of these.

What a sweetheart deal eh? And now they want us to pay an extra 8% on ALL services, before it was products and services were hit with GST at 5% and PST at 8%. Services were at 5% GST no PST.

So what this does, is increases the cost of every service across the board by 8% or an inflation rate of about 4% to 5% in one month, July 2010. In addition, what happens to those 600 employees in Oshawa or the ones in North Bay and Sudbury? The federal government says they'll absorb them, uh huh, this is supposed to be a move towards cost reduction and efficiency. The same number of employees means no efficiency increase and no cost savings. Seems like a lot of bullsh*t to me, but that is the way the government works! That and lies and obfuscation and diversion.

At the same time, the average middle class Canadian family is taxed at a rate of about 50% of their collective income in federal and provincial sales tax. Then we have the shipping lobbyists who managed to get an extra 15% to 50% tacked onto imports by getting the government to set the personal import exemption unfairly low ($20) and stupid things like CD and DVD blank disk surcharges implemented by David Baskin at the CMRRA, who don't like to pay artists whenever they feel like it, so it's basically just another tax that goes into the CMRRA's pocket instead of the government's.

I wish the hell Canada was about 30 degrees south, then we could be a banana republic rather than the pine cone republic we are, at least we'd be warm. Where's global warming when you need it or maybe a little southerly crustal shift?

Back to the HST scam the government is implementing... the government said this would help business. Guess what, IT DOES, but what they failed to mention is it is only about 0.5% of the businesses, which would be their buddies and themselves. Small business will suffer as well as any person who needs to hire a plumber, electrician, auto mechanic, anyone who provides a service.

This is also a way to phase out GST rebates for people and businesses.

Every person I have talked to, and I know a lot of them, says this HST situation sucks and it will kill their business and suck up what little disposable income they have left if any. It may even force making choices between paying rent or buying food. I think it's about time everyone contacted that slimy piece of crap they call an MP or MPP and explain to them in no uncertain terms that we have been taxed the f*ck enough and HST is baaaad idea.

These government wankers can instead cut their salaries, their ridiculous pensions, cut government workers salaries, the costly benefits and operate in the real world, not airy fairy governmentland. Being employed by the government is being employed by the people and it may make them special, but I think it's special ed (and that's why they use the short buses).

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4

Opinions or comments?

Cheers - Dave

Added a few sources on HST

[edit on 12/21.2009 by bobs_uruncle]

Got any source dude? Keep in mind that people will attack you unless give a source

This subject is a double-edge sword for me. I'm all for it if this leads to an income tax reduction as a flat tax system is more fairly applied. The thing I like about this tax is that it hits the illegals that don't pay income tax. Sounds like the FAT TAX is coming to BC also.

But in all honesty what did people expect. Harper enacted a tax cut to the usual beneficieries right before the market tanked and they borrowed another 60 Billions dollars and then more deficits for years to come. This taxing had to happen. The one thing the Liberals did for us was keep us in the black for almost a decade. The Canadian people expect fiscal discipline.

I would like to reiterate that I only support these types of taxes as long as it is followed up by a reduction in income tax federal and provincial. If it's not then they'll be looking for new jobs next election.

1. The private copying levy applies to cassettes, recordable CD and MiniDisc. It does not apply, and has never applied, to DVD.

2. You're very kind to name me, but I didn't create the private copying levy. It was created by Parliament in 1997.

3. CMRRA does not collect or administer the levy. That job is done by the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC). For more information, see www.CPCC.ca....

4. GST and applicable PST have always been collected on the sale of recordable audio media to which the levy applies. The introduction of the HST will not represent any change in the total taxes paid or collected om the sale of such media.

5. The levy is not a tax. Taxes are collected and retained by government. The levy is collected by CPCC, a non-governmental, private organization, and distributed through CPCC's members to songwriters, music publishers, performers and makers of sound recordings.

6. Since 2000, CPCC has distributed more than $180 million to the payees noted above. Full financial information can be found on CPCC's website.

Given the public availability if the above information, it's a shame that you didn't bother to do any research before criticizing me or my company. We encourage anyone with questions about the levy to contact us directly for the facts.

David Basskin
Director
CPCC

[edit on 21-12-2009 by David Basskin]

Hunter S. Thompson's dead.

Originally posted by David Basskin
1. The private copying levy applies to cassettes, recordable CD and MiniDisc. It does not apply, and has never applied, to DVD.

My bad, oops not DVD's.

2. You're very kind to name me, but I didn't create the private copying levy. It was created by Parliament in 1997.

It was my understanding that you personally lobbied this tax/levy from your own people, correct me/them if that is incorrect. It is funny (odd) how your name shows up on both CPCC and CMRRA directors lists, the two companies involved with the mandated levy.

When someone lobbies the government to write legislation that skims money by way of a mandated levy on consumers, it's called something... is it graft of some kind or is it simply lining their pockets at the expense of everyone else? Ahhh, moral and ethical conundrums, but I suppose lawyers are used to playing those games, it's why the law is written the way it is and full of so much "pork."

I've been in a few countries where I have actually witnessed "lobbyists" paying off government ministers, I wonder if that happens in Canada? I really don't need to ask that question because I know of cover-ups personally. BTW, don't take offense, these are just questions which are not really directed at anyone in particular and I infer nothing. I simply reason based on what I have seen and have been involved in, in the past.

I have noticed that it appears you did an excellent job on the CRIA problem so far, $300 million wasn't it in unpaid license fees plus $5.7 billion in penalties? Who gets the $5.7 billion if the case wins? Does the whole $300 million get divided between the license holders? How much are the lawyers, CPCC and CMRRA getting out of this? Was it done on spec, pro-bono or the normal ridiculous fees?

3. CMRRA does not collect or administer the levy. That job is done by the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC). For more information, see www.CPCC.ca....

From Corporations Canada the CPCC Director list (more information HERE)

"Current: 6 Last Update Date: 2009/03/31
Min: 6 Last Amendment: 1999/03/01
Max: 12
Director(s) name(s):
The following are the directors at the time of incorporation or as indicated on the last annual summary as of March 31 of the year of filing.

PAUL SPURGEON
ALAIN LAUZON
LYETTE BOUCHARD
BRAD KEENAN
DAVID BASSKIN
ANNIE MORIN

From Corporations Canada the CMRRA Director list (more information HERE)

Current: 4 Last Update Date: 2004/05/18
Min: 1 Last Amendment: 2002/01/10
Max: 10

Director(s) name(s):
CLAUDETTE FORTIER
ALAIN LAUZON
FRED MERRITT
DAVID BASSKIN

4. GST and applicable PST have always been collected on the sale of recordable audio media to which the levy applies. The introduction of the HST will not represent any change in the total taxes paid or collected om the sale of such media.

Any mandated levy causes a proportionally equal increase in the amount of tax, meaning HST, PST or GST.

5. The levy is not a tax. Taxes are collected and retained by government. The levy is collected by CPCC, a non-governmental, private organization, and distributed through CPCC's members to songwriters, music publishers, performers and makers of sound recordings.

6. Since 2000, CPCC has distributed more than $180 million to the payees noted above. Full financial information can be found on CPCC's website.

Given the public availability if the above information, it's a shame that you didn't bother to do any research before criticizing me or my company. We encourage anyone with questions about the levy to contact us directly for the facts.

David Basskin
Director
CPCC

[edit on 21-12-2009 by David Basskin]

Yes yes David, I well know the CMRRA and CPCC and I have read most of the documents. It was my understanding, from your own people, that you lobbied the government to implement the blank CD/recordable media surcharge, which is in effect a "tax." It just goes to a different "highwayman." And I think I can refer to it as a tax, as it is a mandatory cash added amount that has implied or real threats and does not have any representation. Oh wait, does that mean it's an extortion, is that correct?

I am all for artists being paid "reasonable" amounts of money for their artistic works, what I am against is parasitic "middle-men." I think a good quote might be from Ayn Rand;

“When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; When you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors; When you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you; When you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice; You may know that your society is doomed."

You realize of course David, that anything I type here is opinions and that and a buck fifty will buy you a coffee at Timmies. Personally, I think lobbyists should be outlawed and politics totally transparent, but we both know that's not going to happen with the present corrupt system of government (and I know a lot of people in government as well, funny how most if not all start out as lawyers, nudge nudge wink wink). I don't know if lawyers are inherently corrupt and thereby produce corrupt government or if lawyers are just weak and need that greed void filled, something to ponder I suppose.

I still have to wonder as well how a lawyer can serve two masters, eg. a client and at the same time be an officer of the court. It would be like Harper or Obama receiving payment or honoraries from two or more different governments. Oh wait, it's illegal but it's been happening right? I guess one rule fits some!

Maybe we'll talk again some day and I can explain the realities of corruption within governments with solid examples and evidence, if you don't already know how corrupt governments really are.

So, you were saying?

Cheers - Dave

[edit on 1/4.2010 by bobs_uruncle]