What a mystery this is.

  • zaphod@lemmy.ca
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    7 months ago

    But spending cuts in the 1980s and 1990s, along with a move to put more responsibility for economic and social well-being on the shoulders of individuals, caused low-income Canadians to fall further behind, the report says.

    So neoliberalism. Neoliberalism happened.

    Who could’ve guessed.

    • John_McMurray@lemmy.caOP
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      7 months ago

      It’s amazing reading some of these statements. Spending increased every year but cuts are the problem holding people back, when taxes have increased dramatically since then too.

      • Strykker@programming.dev
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        7 months ago

        Taxes don’t tend to affect you when you make less than the tax cutoff.

        But not having the social services those taxes used to fund suddenly means you don’t get to eat dinner tomorrow, or you can’t go to a family doctor because there aren’t any available.

        People like to complain about taxes, but taxes never made someone destitute.

      • zaphod@lemmy.ca
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        7 months ago

        when taxes have increased dramatically since then too

        No they haven’t:

        https://policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/have-taxes-changed-all-much-over-past-half-century

        In 1961, families paid 33.5% of their income on taxes, but by 1969 they were paying 39% and in 1974 they paid 43.4% of their income. So, if you compare the 2009 effective family tax rate to 1961, you will find a 25% increase, but you will only report a 7% increase since 1969 and an actual decrease since 1974.

        (Note this analysis is circa 2010, but things haven’t changed substantially since then aside from the post COVID inflation spike that’s still subsiding).

        But enjoy the alternate reality brought to you by your “friends” at the Fraser Institute™️.