Chrystia Freeland, minister of Finance and deputy prime minister, please remind PM Trudeau that many Canadians (retirees and those who haven’t worked) are extremely unhappy with Trudeau’s proposal to hand out cheques ($250) next year to working Canadians.
Many seniors are barely getting by with their CPP and OAS cheques. The cost of living is forcing many Canadians to use food banks.
My suggestion: Every adult 18 and older and earning less than $100,000 per year should receive a cheque for $250, based on income tax returns. Millionaires, billionaires and folks earning more than $100,000 per year should not qualify.
I would also suggest freezing the GST on “essentials”, basic necessities such as food, toilet paper, paper towels, and proscription drugs, not on liquor (beer, wine, hard stuff, etc), sodas, chips, take-outs, fast foods such as McDonald's, Wendy's, etc., and on home delivery services of fast food like Skip the Dishes items.
Changing topics: In order to save money, I would recommend scrapping the purchases of F-35s. Too costly to purchase, to operate and to maintain. Instead purchase Sweden’s Griffin. Why? Far less costly to buy, to operate, and to maintain, plus they can take off from highways.
Scrap the purchase of submarines as well. Too costly to operate and to maintain.
Instead buy drones and missiles, especially missiles for combat troops fighting tanks and other armoured vehicles. Buy weapons like assault rifles and machine guns from our European allies.
Why? Cheaper than U.S. made weapons. Forget about buying U.S. tanks. Too expensive to buy and to maintain. Easy targets for drones and shoulder-fired missiles. High speed light armoured vehicles are better than heavy, costly tanks. Follow what weapons are successfully in the Ukrainian-Russia war.
Lastly, I suggest that you, PM Trudeau and all the provincial premiers sit down to discuss and to create a common front against U.S. trade policies. No unilateral decisions by the federal government and by the provinces. Why? Too easy to divide our country.
George Thatcher,
Olds
