The document discusses taxation and social programs in Canada, including how governments collect taxes to fund social programs. It examines different political parties' views on taxation and social spending. Canadians pay some of the highest taxes in the world, which fund services provided by both federal and provincial governments.

1. Ain’t nobody like taxes

2. Taxes, taxes
ain’t nobody likes taxes
Well you can tax my ma
And you can tax my pa
Pretty soon you gonna have it all
Taxes, taxes
ain’t nobody likes taxes

3. To what extent should Canadians support social
programs and taxation?

4. • What values underlie social programs in Canada
and the United States?
• How do the economic platforms of political parties
differ from one another?
• How is a political party’s philosophy reflected in its
platforms?
• How does the underground economy impact the
federal and provincial tax base and social
programs?

5. In groups of 4 you are going
to complete a placemat
Social Program: A worksheet.
service that is In the middle write down:
provided by “What social programs
government to should the government
reduce economic provide?”
inequalities and
promote the well- Then in your groups write
being of citizens. down the top 3 choices that
your group feels are the
most important.

6. Medical procedures are costly to the Canadian taxpayer. Should individuals or society pay
for medical services?

7. Food Banks receive support from voluntary donations and from the government. They are one
way to counter the effects of poverty.

8. Thousands of people are homeless in Canada. Governments in Canada and the U.S.
provide support to people who cannot meet their basic needs.

9. Some senior citizens are retired or, for health or other reasons, are no longer able to
earn income from jobs. Canada and the U.S have different positions on supporting
seniors.

10. • After viewing the photos, what are some of the issues
that the photographs are communicating? What other
problems exist in society that these photos did not
address?
• Should the government use tax payer dollars to fund all
the programs you viewed? Why or why not?
• What values do the people who support these programs
hold? (Read the definition of the word values on page
270, before answering this question.)

12. • What warning does Tommy Douglas give to future
generations?
• What is the connection between profit and health care
that Tommy Douglas makes in this speech?
• If the government runs health care can we trust it to
have our best interests in mind?

14. 1. What comment is the cartoonist making about paying
taxes?
2. From this cartoon what can you conclude about
taxpayers views about paying taxes?
3. Is the perspective in the cartoon biased?
4. How could the government lower taxes in Canada?
5. How would lowering taxes impact your quality of life?
Think of both the positive and negative impacts.

15. As a class read page 271 and Canada’s Founding Principle:
then discuss “Peace, order and good government.”
Value?
Critical Thinking Challenge.
“How might decisions on
social programs
connect to the principles of America’s Founding Principle:
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of
mixed and market happiness.”
economies?” Value?

16. 1. Health insurance Read cartoon T Ways
wo
2. Private health care to Pay on page 272. Be
3. Public health care prepared to discuss as a
class.
4. Profit

18. 1. How are the two health care systems the same?
2. How are the two health care systems different?
3. Which scenario benefits citizens the most? Why?
4. Which do you prefer?

19. • Different levels of government provide and fund
social programs in Canada.
• Federal and Provincial governments have
different responsibilities outlined under Canada’s
Constitution.
• Provincial governments responsible for health
care
• Federal government responsible for “Peace,
order and good government.”

20. The Canadian Health Act is a federal law that sets out
5 principles for health care in Canada. The act says
that, in every province and territory, health care
must be:
• Publicly administered: run by government for no
profit.
• Comprehensive: for care provided by hospitals,
physicians and surgeons.
• Universal: available to everyone.
• Portable: available everywhere in Canada, no
matter where you make your home in Canada.
• Accessible: available within reason time and
distance.

21. • Under U.S. constitution, federal and state governments
can make laws regarding social programs.
• U.S. constitution does not identify particular federal or
state responsibilities.

22. • In groups of 2 read the
snapshot of social Complete question #1
programs of Canada and using a Venn diagram
the U.S. on pages 273 & 275. Social Programs Social Programs
Canada U.S.
• Complete Connect to
the Big Ideas questions 1,2
page 278.

24. Read the articles on health care and complete the following
questions in groups of 2.
1. From whose viewpoint is the article written?
2. What does the person or group value in the article?
3. What is the issue/s that the article raises?
4. What are some of the biggest challenges of health
care that each article addresses?

25.  Government collect taxes to Glossary
pay for social programs. Add the following terms to
your glossary sheets
 Both Federal and Provincial
governments collect taxes.
1. Goods and Services T (GST)
ax
 Canadians pay 2 kinds of 2. Income T ax
taxes to the government:
Income tax and sales tax. 3. Median
4. Sales tax
5. Service tax

26. • "Direct taxes" are taxes are imposed on the
income of Canadian resident individuals,
Canadian corporations and various other
entities that either reside or carry on
business in Canada.
• ie. Income Tax
• "Indirect taxes" are generally consumption
taxes levied on property and services. In
Canada, the term "commodity taxes" is often
used in place of indirect taxes.
• ie. GST

27. Individuals have Individuals pay Income tax goes to the
jobs and make $ taxes Federal government
Federal government uses or
distributes the money to the
Education provinces to provide services that
benefit Canadians
Income Assistance
Social Programs

28. • Look at the pie graphs on page 282.
• Pie graph #1 looks at Federal
Government spending in 2007.
• Pie graph #2 looks Alberta’s
government spending in 2007.

30. • What areas do you believe our federal government is
spending too much money on? Justify your answer.
• What area do you believe our government should
direct MORE of our tax money towards? Justify your
answer.

32. • In Canada we have a progressive tax system. In
simple terms this means the more income you make the
more tax you pay.
• 15% on the first $38,832 of taxable income, +
• 22% on the next $38,832 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable
income between $38,832 and $77,664), +
• 26% on the next $48,600 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable
income between $77,664 and $126,264), +
• 29% of taxable income over $126,264.
• In Alberta our provincial government has gone to a
flat tax. In simple terms this means that all
taxpayers pay the same percentage of their income.
• 10% of taxable income in 2009
When you combine all of the various direct and indirect taxes, from all three levels
of government, Canadians pay some of the highest rates of tax in the world!

33. Income Level Progressive Tax Paid Flat Tax Tax paid
Tax Rate Rate
$20 000 15% $3,000 18% $3,600
$30 000 17% $5,100 18% $5,400
$40 000 19% $7,600 18% $7,200
$50 000 22% $11,000 18% $9,000
$60 000 25% $15,000 18% $10,800
$70 000 28% $19,600 18% $12,600
$80 000 32% $25,600 18% $14,400
$90 000 37% $33,300 18% $16,200
$100 000 41% $41,000 18% $18,000

34. • In all countries it is against the law to avoid paying
taxes.
• The economic activity that governments tax is called
the Tax Base.
• Tax Evasion involves not reporting your economic
activity.
• This is part of the underground economy which is
also called the “Black Market”. This is illegal and
takes away from the governments tax base and
therefore its ability to provide social programs for
Canadians

35. Viewing
Watch the following video on the negative impact that working in the black market
has on the tax base.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tba1zoJ5sOI&NR=1
The T Rap Video show why it is important to pay taxes
ax
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QdCf56CYh4&feature=related
Make a one minute PSA about the dangers of the Underground Economy
List the dangers of participating in the black market

37. • Read the top of page 287 as a class and the examine
the chart to find examples of Party Platforms of the
Federal parties of Canada.

38. Stephen Harper Michael Ignatieff Gilles Duceppe Jack Layton Elizabeth May
Conservative Liberal Bloc Quebecois NDP Green
The above are the leaders of the 5 main political parties in Canada’s Federal
Government… What are the political platforms of each party? What are their
views on social programs and taxation? LETS FIND OUT…

39. Economic policies come from values and form part of the
platform of political parties. The policies within platforms
indicate where parties fit on the economic continuum.
Look at the chart and Economic Continuum on page 288 as a
class. Discuss the values of each political party
Planned economy Mixed Economy Market Economy
Political Party A Political Party B Political Party C
More government involvement Less government involvement

40. Read pages 289-290 that examine the major political parties in Canada and
the U.S. After reading each party’s platforms place them on the Economic
Continuum. Do one for Canada and another one for the U.S. Then answer
the questions 1 & 2 at the bottom of this slide.
Political Parties
More government involvement Less government involvement
1. Which political party in Canada closest resembles the Republican party of the
U.S?
2. Which political party in Canada closest resembles the Democratic party of the
U.S?
3. Does Canada have too many major political parties?
4. Is there lack of political choice in the U.S.?

46. CRITERIA FOR JUDGEMENT
Establish criteria for making your decisions.
What are your criteria for determining areas to cut?
What are your criteria for determining areas not to cut?
*What areas are absolute untouchables? There is no
way you would cut!!!

47. TASK ONE: Beside each area, place a “P” beside it if it
is an area the provincial government is mostly
responsible for, and an “F” if it is an area the
Federal government is mostly responsible for.
TASK TWO: Define the following:
Debt:
Deficit:
TASK THREE: As a GROUP, complete this NEW budget
for both the federal and provincial budgets. If the
budgeted amount goes:
UP - write the new amount in RED
DOWN - write the new amount in BLACK
STAYS THE SAME - write the amount in BLUE