It’s the fashion. The excuse is inflation. All the parties are proposing to give money to citizens, in various forms: tax cuts, gifts for seniors, various allowances. This is tantamount to cutting state revenues, which governments badly need. Ecological action will be expensive, by encouraging electrification, by developing public transport, by cleaning up water and air. The development of public services which alone effectively compensate for the enrichment of the rich and the impoverishment of the poor is also expensive. Improving health services, for which the provinces are begging the federal government, and improving education services, both of which suffer from labor shortages, will require major investments in training Staff. And particularly in Quebec, governments should not skimp on the recruitment and francization of immigrants.
The tasks of governments for social justice are therefore daunting. And it doesn’t bode well that parties are offering populist freebies, rather than social programs. Of course, I would be happy, like everyone else, to have more money in my pocket. But I won’t be bought off by that kind of promise. The gift I expect is to live in a fairer society. Secular, egalitarian and francophone, of course. But first fairer. I no longer want my wealthy neighbors to be able to afford private health and education services and my poor neighbors to have to make do with deteriorated public services. I have very comfortable housing and I am ready to pay more taxes so that all my compatriots have accessible and decent housing.
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