When I arrived home I discovered that my check for $155 from the provincial goverment had not arrived. It appears that the people who don’t make up to a certain amount get NOTHING from this so called “tax relief plan”. It’s basicly the Progressive Conservatives’ bribe to buy the election. I wanted to take the money and then vote those right-wing bastards out. I guess the latter will have to suffice. The only other possibility is that my money went to the apartment mail box. In that case I’ll have to get Nathan to send it here.
My mind is filled with an interconnected landscape of stories. It’s an evolving mess that I hope to soon express properly. I can’t seem to write them out in anything other than fits and prose below what I wish to write. I feel they are vital to share, though, so surely they will be.
One story I just had come to me today should be interesting and offensive should I ever write it. It’s about a clergyman who finds renewed faith and leaves his ministry to do a different sort of good. Vague? Yes, but I surely can’t give away the other details. I will say that I need to do some biblical research to ensure I can use the proper lines and historical facts to back up his revelation. It’s all about truth.
I’m always finding beautiful lines in the songs I listen to during the day that I want to share, but by the time I return to write I find I’ve forgotten them completely. Maybe a pen and a notepad will become new gardening tools to combat this slight of mind.
11 comments on “…why drink the water from my hand, contageous as you think I am?…”
Couple things:
1) The $155 cheques were only started to be MAILED today. Canada Post isn’t as fast as e-mail, so if you’re getting a cheque, you’ll have to wait 1 or 2 weeks (depending on when it gets mailed).
2) The cheque is actually a tax refund, not some sort of “free money for all”. If the government has never taken tax from you (in other words, you’ve never claimed more than ~ $7500 per year), you won’t get the tax refund.
BTW, those right-wing bastards signed a deal with one of the most left-wing nuts, David Orchard (federally, atleast, although John Hamm has supported Peter Mackay).
1) Well, the cheques for the other members of my family arrived today, so I think Canada Post is pretty damn fast for that being sent only today. 😉
2) Yes, I’m aware it is a “refund”. It’s interesting how it is being touted as giving back to the people, though, when over half of Nova Scotians will not receive it (if the 350,000 figure I heard is correct).
There are many reasons why I am opposed to the PC government, including their terrible track record in education, health care, and transportation, as well as their stated support for the invasion of Iraq (which itself is enough reason for me to vote against them). Their debt plan is terrible as well. Building it tremendously for a decade and then starting to pay it off is simply not going to work.
David Orchard sounds like a commendable man, from what I read, though he certainly has some policies I disagree with. But the deal is mostly a joke, to review free trade is not going to change anything, as far as I am concerned. Federally and provincially parties can differ greatly, so I don’t think the federal support has a great deal of bearing on Hamm’s local policies.
1) Well, that surprises me. From everything I heard they were just being mailed today. 🙂 Meh.
2) Aprox 350,000 is correct. However, of that, 50,000 are getting $155 – it’s just being paid off of what they already owe the government in taxes. A bit sneaky, yes, but fair game. For the other 300,000, since Nova Scotia has a population of a little under 1 million, I would imagine 30% of the population wouldn’t have made $7,500 last year (students who only work part time and/or for the summer, unemployed, people who stay at home for health or family reasons, etc).
While you can be opposed to the PC government – they’ve done exactly what they promised. It’s not as rosey as they tried to make it seem during election time in 99 (they couldn’t come out and say, “it’s going to be a tough 5 years, but vote us anyways”). I do find your comment odd about “their terrible track record in education, health care and transportation”, and then you complain about how they’re continuing to run up the debt for the next few years. The problem is, how can they do both? Just curious as to what you think?
Promises being kept are not as important to me as making the proper decisions and managing our province properly. In many areas I feel they have done a poor job with the resources available. I don’t feel that it is a how-much-money-can-we-pump-into-this-area issue, rather their plans and management of the money they have is the root of the problme with this government.
Nova Scotia could be run on a balanced budget right now and fulfill all the needs a government should be providing at this point. There are reforms that don’t require millions of dollars that could have been in place by now and allowing funds to be properly used and not wasted. The revenues of this province have been growing by $200 million a year, and these funds are not benefiting us as they should.
I’m in all honesty opposed to the tax refund (I would accept the money gladly, because of my current financial situation, but I would rather see it go into health care or education) because this money could be used on any number of the programs being cut by this government. How can throwing the money back at us be justified when this government is telling us we need to increase the debt?
I’m sure we could argue about this for years (as any Canadian could about our government)!
BTW, just wanted to say you typically do a good job expressing your opinions about government, etc. To the point where I think you should get involved! lol. While I disagree with some of what you write, I can atleast respect your opinion.
Yes, I’m sure we could agrue more. That we can still argue about government is a good sign, I think. Far too many people I know resort to name calling without really absorbing what the other perticipant in the discussion is saying. I certainly respect that and your opinions because of the way you approach things.
Well, thank you very much. Someday I do hope to become involved with government and politics, but I admittedly have a lot to learn, even just about the system and parties, before I’d consider joining or supporting any party fully, or really being politically active other than behind issues I am confident about.
I am unfortunatly one of those who will not be getting this tax refund apparently, which really makes me sad, as I have no food in my cupboard at the moment, as I make barely enough to cover my bills at me job. However, what gets taken of my pay for the government is apparently not enough to qualify me for this refund. It happens.
I find it sad that once again, the people who don’t make enough money to survive are once again cut off from what is supposed to be helping. My coworker is in the same boat right now, and it sucks.
Whatever though. We still have it MUCH better then a lot of people, both economically and politically. I’d rather live in Canada when debating the government and our views as such won’t get us thrown in jail.
Yeah, it’s a real shame that the people who need that money will not get it.
Yeah, we do have it pretty good in Canada, but we can always work to make it better. Especially by voting out the PC’s in this upcoming election. 😉
I miss you so much! Hopefully, we can talk more tomorrow..
I miss you so much too! I really hope we can talk tonight. I LOVE YOU!
true enough