Editor’s Notes

[Previous] [Contents]

Time has a way of softening and clouding our memories of the past - both our own past, and that of our broader history.

For instance, many Canadians assume that Tommy Douglas and Lester Pearson were acting purely altruistically when the former brought in universal health care in Saskatchewan, and the latter implemented it and the Canada Pension Plan federally. Perhaps. But no matter what their motives, these politicians could not possibly have known the full implications of their legislation. They did not have the gift of foresight any more than the rest of us do. They brought in programs that seemed to them to be good at the time, and that most people apparently wanted.

That’s where the competitive market comes in. In a system where competitive markets were allowed to operate freely, these men’s innovations could have been improved upon, adjusted, and even replaced if necessary. But that hasn’t happened. Successive governments have refused to consider dramatic changes; they have turned these innovations into static stone shrines; citizens can look at them, worship at them, but cannot begin to move them.

But armed with the experience of the past 30 years, it is time to question these and other government programs. Are they serving all Canadians as well as they should? Couldn’t they be better, particularly given what we know now about demographics and technology?

In essence, questioning our social programs is what this issue of Fraser Forum is about. Yes, it is ostensibly a call for governments to reform Canada’s tax laws. But to what end? At the heart of the call is a need for us to review our history, particularly the way we allow governments to spend the money they tax from us. There may well be more efficient, effective, productive, and satisfying ways to apportion, collect, and spend the government chunk of our money. It is time for Canadians to question many of the programs into which we funnel money, rather than blindly continue to do so because doing anything else will cause Tommy Douglas and Lester Pearson to "turn in their graves." Surely it is time to make changes where they would be in all of our best interests. It is time, quite simply, to move on, and one place to begin is with our tax laws.

- Kristin McCahon

[Previous] [Contents/A>]

---

info@fraserinstitute.ca You can contact us at the above email address for any comments or information requests. Please report any dead links or technical problems.

If you know someone who would be interested in this web page, please enter their email address below, and we will forward this URL to them: Email Address:

Last Modified: Wednesday June 9, 1999.