Has It Come to This. Canadian Politics in 2009

I think I read something today about one of Canada's political leaders has denied an intention to have an 'adult discussion with Canadians' on how to get our public finances out of debt.

If this is true it is a regrettable state of affairs in our great country. Realistic analysis of the size of our public deficit and debt clearly points to the necessity of increasing government revenues. Governments' main source of revevnue is taxation and other fees charged for public services.

Yet political leaders of all stripes have 'swallowed' all the anti-tax line first propagated by people like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher and embraced by Canadian politicians like Michael Harris and Stephen Harper.

Our country has become less caring since the early 1980's as government have withdrawn from many of our innovative social programs.. all in the interest of reducing taxes. Our public sector's ability to effect real social and economic change is limited due to successive, and in some cases, really unnecessary tax cuts.

Taxes pay for health care, education, transportation infrastructure, welfare, emergency protection etc. etc. THese are important to society and should be properly funded...which is NOT happening now thanks to widespread preoccupation with 'cutting taxes'.