Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 11, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A6 EDITORIALS WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2014 Freedom of Trade Liberty of Religion Equality of Civil Rights A 6 COMMENT EDITOR: Gerald Flood 204- 697- 7269 gerald. flood@ freepress. mb. ca winnipegfreepress. com EDITORIAL F INANCE Minister Jennifer Howard has checked the piggy bank and found there is not enough money to fund the first year of a phased- in education tax credit for aging Manitobans. Ms. Howard now plans to roll out the credit over three years, not two, to free up $ 10 million for other education priorities this year. The minister should check her facts and the rationale for this tax credit. In fact, there is no money, at all, in the treasury for expensive new initiatives. Every penny the government allots to the new tax credit - worth $ 50 million fully rolled out - comes from borrowing. This is deficit funding of an election promise, the very basis of which is specious. The idea that people who reach the age of 65 should see the cost of public education lifted from their shoulders is wrong. Aging Manitobans share interest and responsibility for well- financed, quality schools. The philosophical underpinning of a public education system is that the province, as a whole, benefits from an educated population economically, socially and culturally. The economics go beyond the fact Manitobans pay taxes when they leave school and enter the labour force. Those who stay in school and graduate from Grade 12 are less likely to be involved in crime, addictions and enjoy higher health status. The education attainment of mothers is a strong indicator of their children's likelihood to succeed in life. Education has the ability to break the cycle of poverty, and that spreads benefits throughout a community's social and economic facets. Indeed, Ms. Howard herself touched upon the gross inequity of peppering tax benefits by age, rather according to a household's means, in this proposal. Some older Manitobans and retirees have far more disposable income than many working families. Why, the minister asks, would the government be writing a $ 10,000 or $ 20,000 cheque to cover the education property taxes levied by school boards on a home valued at $ 1 million or more? Does it seem fair to transfer this burden from the wealthy onto other taxpayers? But Manitobans might ask why the minister chose $ 10,000 as her threshold. Tax credits and exemptions ought to be geared to income, to preserve the progressive nature of the tax regime. But the NDP has undermined that principle, with credits bestowed deliberately to elicit the gratitude of voters. The incautious application of the current universal $ 700 education tax credit already triggers rebates for some renters and property owners. The new age- based tax credit is simply more of the NDP's manipulation of the tax regime to curry favour with the electorate. As with its decision to freeze post- secondary tuition for a decade, the proposed education tax credit hits the sweet spot for a large and growing chunk of voters: There are some 180,000 Manitobans in the 65- plus cohort; for many, eliminating the education levy will cut their property tax bill in half. Ms. Howard tied the decision to stretch out the implementation of the tax credit to Statistics Canada's new population estimates, which will cut the per capita federal transfers to Manitoba. The truth is Manitoba's financial straits were caused by the NDP's spendthrift management. Indeed, part of the cash Ms. Howard wants to use on other priorities will go to funding smaller classes in the early grades, despite scant evidence backing the move. The NDP administration does not have a revenue problem; it has an affinity for spending and little respect for budgets - proven by its record of repeatedly blowing past its spending plans. Ms. Howard should exercise real restraint and pare back all spending to programs that are strictly necessary, while Manitoba gets back to black. And she should scrap outright the dubious idea of awarding tax credits to Manitobans who have reached their 65th birthday. Clarifying Fair Elections Act Re: Election bill helps Tories exclusively , Feb. 7. Dan Lett has the right to his own opinion on the Fair Elections Act. He does not, however, have the right to his own facts. Lett says: " In the past, ( Elections Canada CEO Marc) Mayrand appointed the commissioner of elections to perform investigations. Now the government of the day will do that directly." The Fair Elections Act proposes the existing commissioner, Yves Cot�, remain in the role for the next five years. The CEO of Elections Canada, not the government, appointed him. We could have as many as two more elections before he retires from that role. When he retires, the director of public prosecutions ( DPP) will appoint his replacement. The DPP is independent and is appointed on the advice of a committee that contains all parties, numerous non- partisan public servants and a representative of the law society. He can only be removed through a vote in the House of Commons. For the last seven years, the DPP has had the responsibility for laying all charges under the Canada Elections Act. In other words, before the Fair Elections Act was adopted, the DPP was already in charge of prosecuting its offences, and no one has complained about the job he did. The Fair Elections Act will give the commissioner sharper teeth, a longer reach and a freer hand. That means tougher penalties and absolute independence in enforcing them. PIERRE POILIEVRE Minister of State, Democratic Reform Ottawa Look beyond Olympic politics The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics was great ( Big opener upbeat party , Feb. 8), and the addresses by the Russian premier and the Olympic president were very touching, addressing the sportsmanship of all Olympic participants. As each country marched in their athletes, that country's representatives or leaders were shown standing and cheering them on. And while the Canadian team came in with great enthusiasm and spirit, nowhere did I see our prime minister or any Canadian leader doing the same. These Games are not a political issue - they are about getting along and respecting the achievements of all. ANTHONY MARCOFF Winnipeg �� What a beautiful piece of writing by Gary Lawless about the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi ( Goodness at these Games , Feb. 8). Lawless shows his stuff as a journalist by searching out an untold story - in this case the unfettered perspectives and enthusiasm of young volunteers to these much- harangued games. I don't agree with Russian politics, but hope now that the Olympics have begun, the focus can shift to the " light" and promise of the games - the performance and stories of the athletes as well as that of the country that is hosting them. LEANNE FOURNIER Winnipeg A question of fairness Re: Full tax credit for seniors strung out , Feb. 08. The provincial government's unwillingness to phase out the education portion of property taxes on seniors' principal dwellings over two years - as well as Finance Minister Jennifer Howard's musings about whether rebates should be allocated on the basis of " fairness" - raises important questions the government has avoided answering. Where is the off- setting revenue for the cost of this election promise coming from? Is it coming from general revenue, or is it being borne by the rest of Manitoba property owners? If Howard and her colleagues are prepared to look at the fairness issue regarding rebates, shouldn't they also consider fairness in applying the tax? Shouldn't funding education in Manitoba be based on ability to pay and not where you live? LORNE WEISS Winnipeg The benefits of vitamins The article Vitamin supplements - how best to use them ( Feb. 8) begins with a quote from the Oxford English Dictionary that is somewhat in error. The body is, in fact, able to synthesize one very important vitamin: 15 minutes of sunshine will stimulate the skin to produce 2,000 units of vitamin D, arguably the most important of the vitamins. Doctors Mike Allan and James McCormack should heed Paracelcus, who said: " All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison." Since most of us do not have a truly healthy diet, a little insurance in the form of a one- a- day vitamin won't do any harm, and may do some good. BILL ROLLS Emerson Balanced budget needed In his letter Don't rush balanced budget ( Feb. 5), Richard Johnson thinks we should continue our ways of spending our children's and grandchildren's money, risking bankruptcy. He writes about the misery cutbacks will have on some if federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty balances the budget too soon. What about the misery taxpayers are burdened with when the interest payments on the national debt become unsustainable? Too many want others to pay for what they feel they cannot afford. Government needs to operate within its means and should not mortgage our future to pay for the greed of the voters today. STANLEY REITSMA Carman HAVE YOUR SAY: The Free Press welcomes letters from readers. Include the author's name, address and telephone number. Letters may be edited. Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, R2X 3B6. Fax 204- 697- 7412. Email letters@ freepress. mb. ca Letters represent the opinions of their writers and do not reflect the opinions of the Winnipeg Free Press or its staff. �� LETTER OF THE DAY Thank you for the informative article on the plight of Mary Wasylenko ( Classified ad seeks kidney , Feb. 5). My wife is in almost the same circumstance - 65 years old and on dialysis for eight years. Dialysis can only partially replace normal kidney function; without a transplant, Wasylenko and my wife face ever- disintegrating life systems and a shortened lifespan. Wasylenko suggests we adopt the opt- out system of deceased organ donation - already in place in several European countries - instead of the opt- in system. Manitobans like to help out and signing their donor cards or registering on the Gift of Life website would seem to be one of the easiest ways to help out. For the most part, however, it's not happening. Despite Manitoba having the secondhighest per- capita rate of kidney failure in Canada as well as the rapidly growing number of dialysis patients in Manitoba, kidney transplants have remained stagnant over the last decade. People continue to die while waiting for organ transplants. It would be wonderful if, for the sake of Wasylenko and hundreds of others awaiting new organs, the province of Manitoba would take the lead and start up the opt- out implied consent organ donation program. SAM KLIPPENSTEIN Powerview- Pine Falls Better donor program needed PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Mary Wasylenko has been on kidney dialysis for 10 years while waiting for a transplant. Don't lift school taxes from elderly A_ 08_ Feb- 11- 14_ FP_ 01. indd A6 2/ 10/ 14 6: 36: 05 PM ;