May 4, 2013

The issue is not the gap between incomes, but rather that those of the lowest incomes cannot manage to live effectively on their current means. However, an increase to minimum wages or unfair and progressive taxation is not the answer. Both of these proposed ideas lead to price inflation, which does not help the situation of our lowest income earners. Furthermore, if I am paying $0.32/dollar in tax, it is inappropriate to expect that my neighbour pay $0.39/dollar of income. The best way to resolve the issue is to address the affordability of necessities for those of lower incomes by increasing the availability of goods at competitive pricing. If the government (or, alternatively, Government) is truly representative of the public and its interests, it should be possible to entice the more ethical companies (pay better wages and benefits, more environmentally/ecologically friendly, encourage family dinners, encourage community involvement, and produce healthier and local goods) rather than those that are simply desirable based on their profitability. In so doing, the expenditures by these companies toward such programs, as well as the jobs created, reduce the need for government expenditures on many of the same issues. In return, the government could promote the products and services such companies offer as "preferred in Canada." Furthermore, the government could help subsidize these operations and those along their supply chains to increase job offerings and also reduce the prices to be competitive with less ethically produced products on store shelves. This would avail the choice of these products to those of lower incomes. It does not matter if all are more equal in terms of income if inflation as a result of measures taken makes products and necessities unavailable to the greatest number of Canadians.