Harpers Finance Minister Joe Oliver delivered the annual fall economic update on November 12 to a group of businesspeople in Toronto. The real news was not what Oliver said, which had already been widely predicted and reported, but what he did not say. He did not say anything remotely connected with the problems Canadians face. He did not say anything remotely connected with the problems the economy faces. Oliver repeated the Harper refrain that the global economy remains fragile and the country must stay the course to ensure prosperity. This in itself is a contradiction and makes no sense. If the economy remains fragile, why would the government stay the course; why not fix the fragility? Of course, the issue is more complicated because the Harper dictatorship wants Canadians to believe they live in a Wild West outside any society or socialized economy, a wilderness of unknowable untamed markets, beyond the realm of economic science. The neo-liberals do not want the people to imagine themselves empowered and in control of their society and economy with the institutions and authority capable of dealing with the problems as they present themselves. For the Harperites, the problems the people and economy face are irrelevant. The real problem for the neo-liberals is too much government spending on social programs, and too much taxation and regulations on those who own the competing untamed parts of the economy, which in spite of their fragility and problems, the government must stay the course. Harper frames his opposition to government spending on social programs, as a fight for a balanced budget. With this notion or precondition of balance held high, Oliver touts the victory of yet another $500 million in lower program spending, bringing the total down to a record low for the country. The cutting of social programs, sale of public assets, and privatization of public services, along with the lowest level of federal claims (taxation) as a percentage of the value Canadian workers produce, have resulted in a surplus of $1.9-billion in next springs federal budget. Break out the champagne! Incoherence has conquered consciousness. Balance has not only been won but surpassed. Life will be good and secured, bathed in the magical elixir balance. (Continue reading at cpcml.ca/Tmld2014/D44095.htm)
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 16:26:02 +0000
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