Alberta has no provincial sales tax. Texas has no state income tax. Both populations are fiercely protective of these absences—they're not just policy choices, they're identity markers. "No PST" bumper stickers exist in Alberta. "Don't Mess With Texas" has always implied "especially our tax code."
So here's the question that makes South Alberta genuinely interesting: what if we kept both?
Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a forceful speech Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on the “new world order” and how middle powers like Canada can benefit by working together.
Democracy has a math problem.
One person, one vote sounds fair until you realize it ignores intensity. The person mildly in favor counts the same as the person whose life depends on the outcome. This seems wrong, but the obvious fix—letting people cast more votes if they care more—immediately advantages those with more votes to cast. Weight votes by resources and you've built plutocracy with extra steps.
Coordination is the lifeblood of democracy. People finding common cause, building coalitions, amplifying shared interests—this is how collective action happens. Without it, we're just isolated individuals shouting into the void.
Coordination is also how democracy gets captured. People finding common cause against the public interest, building coalitions to extract value, amplifying shared interests at everyone else's expense—this is how oligarchy happens. With enough of it, collective decisions become private deals wearing democratic costumes.
The morning light filters through the window of a modest home in Mississauga, where Elena, a 68-year-old retired teacher, reviews her monthly budget with a magnifying glass. Her Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) provide a stable floor, but she watches her Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) investments with bated breath, aware that market volatility could erode the principal she needs for potential long-term care costs.
**Private Pensions and RRSPs: Balancing Individual Security with Collective Responsibility**
As Canada grapples with the challenges of an aging population, individual Canadians face significant financial uncertainty in their retirement years. The following scenarios illustrate the diverse perspectives on private pensions and Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs):
The morning light filters through the blinds of a modest apartment in Winnipeg, where Elena, a retired teacher, reviews her budget with a calculator in hand. Her pension covers her basic needs, but the rising cost of prescription medications and the potential need for home support services loom as significant uncertainties. She weighs the option of moving to a lower-income housing unit to save money against the emotional toll of leaving her community and the fear of losing her independence.
In a quiet suburban neighborhood in Victoria, British Columbia, Arthur, a retired engineer in his early eighties, finds himself navigating the delicate balance between independence and isolation. His single-family home, once a symbol of stability, now feels like a burden with its steep stairs and high maintenance costs.