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September 19, 2008

You lost me at $87 000

Posted by Dominique Jarry-Shore at 08:56 AM ET

IN MONTREAL

As a self-employed worker, a full-time student, and a mother with a child in a provincially-run daycare, I can see myself in many of the campaign promises each of the parties is making.

But Stephen Harper lost me when he trotted out the Tory savings to the "typical" Canadian family. In his world, that family earns $87 000 per year with one spouse making $52 000 and the other $35 000. Is it just me, or does $87 000 seem like a lot of money?

Maybe I'm being naive, but I want a government that spends more time and effort helping the poor and marginalized in society than the middle-class. It would be refreshing to see a politician visit the home of a family really struggling to make ends meet, rather than one benefiting from some minor tax incentives to make their middle-class lives a little more comfortable. (This is not a personal slight to the Huang family whom Stephen Harper visited on September 8th.)

How about heading out to a First Nations community, where many people live in Third World living conditions (or worse)? It's one thing to apologize to Natives in the House of Commons and have everyone come to you, but it would be refreshing to see politicians getting out of their comfort zones a little more often.

It may make for a less perfect photo-op, but it would give me a sense of what the leaders really care about -- and help me find myself and the issues I care about in the government I want for my country.

More entries on: Election 2008

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Reader comments:

Yep. You're naive. And you are a student. You will make more once you graduate.

Try living in Toronto with a family on $87,000, then you might begin to understand the resentment at paying increased taxes to help "the poor and marginalized in society" while you are struggling to make ends meet.

Posted by: Steve at September 19, 2008 03:38 PM

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I worked for nine years before going to back to school, so I know a thing or two about paying taxes Steve. My household income was never $87 000, even with two people working -- but then again I don't live in Toronto, A.K.A. the center of the universe.

Some people don't mind paying taxes and see it as a way of redistributing wealth in society. I'm one of those people and so will continue to happily fork over money to help people who are less well-off than I am. And I'll vote for a party that reflects that.

Posted by: Dominique at September 19, 2008 07:16 PM

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Yeah well, all those of us voting conservative feel natives are only living in third-world conditions because that's how they choose to live.
true or not

Posted by: brad bradley at September 20, 2008 03:32 PM

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