As a senior who receives income splitting thanks to the Conservative government, the NDP and Liberals voted against it, I am bemused by the opposition to income splitting for families with children in school.
For many seniors, not rich seniors but all seniors, income splitting has put directly into our pockets up to $300 a month of disposable income. With the extra earnings, we can go out for lunch and dinner at our local restaurants, purchase items that without it we would not be able to afford. This money goes directly back into the local economy. Just think what the government would do with it.
Now it has been proposed that families with children in school may be able to income split. They will get the extra dollars to spend not the government.
Both the NDP and Liberals, as with the income splitting for seniors, are opposed to the idea. The one main issue they put out is that it will only benefit the few percent of the population, the rich.
From what I understand, the amount that each family can get is capped. So say you are rich, what is a few thousand dollars to you? Pocket change for most of them.
For lower income and middle class families it can make a huge difference. As well, these dollars will flow directly back into the local economy.
Both Trudeau and Mulcair say that it will only benefit a few and that few will be the rich.
Let’s look at a small town like Penticton. We have 10 or more schools in the area. The students have parents. Now in my mind, most of these folks are not rich. What percentage of the parents who have children going to school in Penticton are in fact rich? Mr. Trudeau and Mulcair would have you believe that the vast majority are rich and only a few are middle class or lower income parents. That is if you follow their rational.
Take Penticton and all the cities that are of the same size, Osoyoos, Cache Creek, small and bigger cities like Kamloops and Vancouver. Are the higher percentage of parents in these schools rich? The Liberals and NDP would have you believe that only the rich can afford to have children, based upon their rational that income splitting would only help the rich.
All parents who have children in school should really look at what income splitting is all about. I can tell you, an extra $200 to $300 dollars a month does help. Just ask a senior. By the way, both Mulcair and Trudeau have said that they will reverse income splitting, seniors beware. As much as they say it will only be the new entrants, if they really feel that it is not fair for a few to have it, why would they not reverse it for seniors?
Bob Otway
Penticton
