Letter to the Editor

I can always tell when a provincial or federal election is pending.  We begin to hear political parties promising new policies that will cut our personal taxes dramatically, thereby putting more of our hard-earned dollars into our own hands. Meanwhile, as a proud British Columbian and Canadian, I celebrate the progressive society that I live in and happily contribute to in a variety of ways.

Each year, my personal taxes combine with others to provide health care, public education for all children, employment insurance for those out of work, and pensions for seniors retiring from the workplace, just to name a few. Does this provide for everyone’s personal needs? No. Does everyone pay their fair share into this combined pot? No, but these are issues that we can continue to work on to provide the quality of life that we want for all in a progressive and humane society.

One of my personal beliefs is that “what we want for ourselves, we want for all.” Our public tax system is an evolutionary social tool that allows us to do exactly that. In past ages, we accumulated personal wealth to leave our families through wills and inheritance after we passed away. Most of us will never have the thousands or millions of dollars needed to ensure the continued well-being of those we love and leave behind.

What we have, instead, is a public tax system that aids our children, grandchildren, friends, neighbours and community throughout our lives and theirs. They receive benefits that help make their lives meaningful today and every day, and we get to contribute to that in real time.

When politicians promise to cut taxes, what they’re really saying is that they’re promising to cut services, often to those who need them most, and that is unacceptable!

Wendy Turner,

Cranbrook

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