Schreiber’s Circus

by Matt Stambaugh

While I am sure to be missing something, why are we still hearing updates on the Mulroney/Schreiber train wreck?

Unless there is a possible outcome whereby taxpayers are able to claw back some of money awarded to Mulroney in the Airbus libel suit this form of entertainment seems better left to the arena of American Idol, where Kris vs. Adam  can keep us gossiping for at least a couple more weeks. I don’t think anyone is going to change their opinion of either individual in this case at this point, and if Mulroney broke some tax laws then let the justice system play out and we can all move on.

Amazing how we focus on his tax bill but almost no one wants to talk about the lasting impact of the failed Meech Lake or Charlottetown Accords that gave us a decade of Quebec separatist resurgence evolving into the recent awkward truce between our two founding nations.  Or the fact that the introduction of the GST may have been one of the most painful, but important modifications of our tax structure in the previous century as consumption taxes have an important role to play in regulating our economy (albeit hopefully when matched by accompanying reductions in income or payroll taxes).

What are your thoughts on the GST, should we be lowering it at all costs, maintaining it where it is, or increasing it once the economy picks up  in an attempt to keep our federal budget in the black for the future?  Is it time for Canada to have a serious look at it’s federal tax structure, especially with the movement to Harmonized Sales Taxes (HST) in more and more provinces?

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Matt Stambaugh is an Information Security Consultant who dabbles in media, primarily as a weekly national technology columnist with CBC Radio. This post is cross-posted to www.mattstambaugh.com.