Do you want your money back?

[SquealADeal]

So, we are all looking at getting a chunk of this government surplus…

For some it may be $50, for some it may be $200 or even more…

My question is, do you want it back?

$50 isn’t much to me, but $50 per Canadian citizen means more to my country. I will go out and buy a DVD, or part of an Xbox 360 game… The government could do so much more with it. I’ve accepted that we brutally taxed; maybe something can be done about that going forward… But in the meantime, we’ve taken it out of our pockets, now put it to use. Does anyone share this opinion or is it just me?

I would like them to do something good with it… But spend it on something tangible (not ad-campaigns or awareness building), but rather quick-hits across the country with immediate results.

- Expand transit/subways in cities across Canada
- Do something to fix the 401
- Buy back the 407ETR from the Americans so they can stop “raping” us and the money can go back into our own country
- Fix the communities with clean water issues
- Do a better job of protecting the B.C. forests
- Expand foreign investments and business to diversify and become less reliant on the US (so the impact is minimized when they pull the plug on a Canadian export)
- Invest in military uniforms so we never again have to show up in a desert with jungle camo gear

Just pulling these out of the air, I am sure there are much better uses, but my point is more related to the better good my $50 will do if it was kept and used by the government.

[yayawhoo2003]

I agree. Put the money into something more useful.

Actually you know what they will end up getting a good chick of that say $50 dollars back. Well for me I'll pay some more on my stupid OSAP. Others might buy a DVD but hey the gov't gets 15% off that in taxes. Basically if they dont spend on impprovements they get some back anyways and some gets injected into the economy.

[SquealADeal]

I agree. Put the money into something more useful.

Actually you know what they will end up getting a good chick of that say $50 dollars back. Well for me I'll pay some more on my stupid OSAP. Others might buy a DVD but hey the gov't gets 15% off that in taxes. Basically if they dont spend on impprovements they get some back anyways and some gets injected into the economy.

Good point about it still going back into the economy... Still decreases the ability to target the high priced big-hit items that only the government can take care of, but would still come back to them as a smaller amount for smaller initiatives.

[15-20_God]

Free money is always good.

But conversly, for those that vote "yes", are they willing to pay their share during a budget deficit?

[jerryhung]

I have no problem with them using surplus to pay back our national debts

but only when they don't intentionally do a bad job, just to save money

[pandaharo]

I rather the government do something with the money like invest in education, for the government to issue checks to so many people, there will be a lot of money lost to administration fee.

[devious9191]

As a tax refund, I think it's more like $3-400 for most people isn't it?

[devious9191]

I rather the government do something with the money like invest in education, for the government to issue checks to so many people, there will be a lot of money lost to administration fee.

There shouldn't be any administration fee at all. It'll be done by just raising the personal exemption on your income tax as far as I know.. so some people may end up getting a refund that otherwise wouldn't.. but the system's already in place to issue these cheques as well as determine eligibility.

[yayawhoo2003]

How are they going ot base these checks?? Like who gets what??? I was a student last year so didnt pay any through my p/t jpb. Will I get anything back?? I have been working since april with taxes being deducted.

[yayawhoo2003]

Last time they did this my g/f got a $200 check!!! And she was only working a 20,000/year job at the time

[devious9191]

How are they going ot base these checks?? Like who gets what??? I was a student last year so didnt pay any through my p/t jpb. Will I get anything back?? I have been working since april with taxes being deducted.

No, you wouldn't get anything back (and rightfully so).

[yayawhoo2003]

You had to throw the (rightfully so) part in there didnt you!!! Really smart!!!!

I dont deserve I tax credit if I didnt pay into it, but I dont need YOU to tell me that!!

LOL :)

[devious9191]

You had to throw the (rightfully so) part in there didnt you!!! Really smart!!!!

I dont deserve I tax credit if I didnt pay into it, but I dont need YOU to tell me that!!

LOL :)

lol. sorry ;p I almost did an extended speech on how you couldn't even use the term 'money back', since there wasn't any of yours in the pot to start with. ! ;p Well, I guess I did give my speech after all.

[Montague]

Either give the money back (via method already described in this thread - ie increase in personal exemption amount and/or other type tax credits) or pay down the national debt directly.

[Anessa]

If they would put it into something useful like the TTC or a new Scarborough subway line then I'd give it back to them.

[Daemar]

Imagine the surplus without the past few scandals and the gun registry.

[IceMan77]

Pay off the debt.

We're going to need to borrow again in the future cause these clowns still haven't got their house in order yet.

[hyperion]

Everyone doesn't equally contribute to the surplus, so why should it be equally shared? I rather have the government put it to good(ok,decent) use, since it's only $50 anyway.

[Rosico]

Fed Gov't should create a website linked to revenue canada (or is it CRCC) that allows to you 'waive' receiving your money back and provides a list of options that are available for you to donate it towards and then you get a paper or electronic receipt ackowledging that your money has actually gone to that source.

now, that is e-gov't!

[yayawhoo2003]

Or....Use all of the surplus money and soak it into the military??

[aquariaguy]

If they would put it into something useful like the TTC or a new Scarborough subway line then I'd give it back to them.

So we can buy more 2nd hand subs that catch on fire? I heard those last diesel subs we bought from UK are all ****ed. Great. First choppers, than subs. Soon our toilets will break down.

[SquealADeal]

So we can buy more 2nd hand subs that catch on fire? I heard those last diesel subs we bought from UK are all ****ed. Great. First choppers, than subs. Soon our toilets will break down.

I think he is talking about subway trains... The ones that go "Choo Choo"

Yea, those submarines had a poor electrical system which caught on fire and killed 1. Those were a HUGE cost to Canadians

[SquealADeal]

Fed Gov't should create a website linked to revenue canada (or is it CRCC) that allows to you 'waive' receiving your money back and provides a list of options that are available for you to donate it towards and then you get a paper or electronic receipt ackowledging that your money has actually gone to that source.

now, that is e-gov't!

That is such a good idea. The only thing I would change is that I would have the default be that the government keeps it and then you log on to determine where you want it to go... At the same time you could opt out and select that you want your money to come back to you.

I say this because I know that many busy people who would like their money to go to a greater cause might procrastinate and never get around to logging on... However someone who really wants their money back will log on right away to claim the refund.