OAS is the largest single line item in the federal budget & growing fast. It has caught the eye of Sauron. The right-wing is coming for it, they just need the appropriate crisis. It will probably start with lowering the income at which the claw back starts.

The CPP is not really a public pension. It is paid from a fund created from worker and employer contributions. OAS is paid from the endogenous cash flows of the federal govt.

We need to establish the principle that the pension is a right not a privilege. As long as it remains a privilege it is vulnerable to attack by those on the right. If you want to raise marginal tax rates on those earning over $140k, go for it.

If the claw-back affected the "comfortable" it wouldn't exist, just as the capital gains increase was nixed. Canada's public pensions are among the worst in the developed world, & Canadians believe they worked hard for the OAS and a claw back is profoundly offensive to them.

What's wrong with Rapley's argument is he talks about borrowing. The federal govt as the currency issuer is funded by endogenous cash flows. The fact Carney projects 1% growth tells all. And by the way, who are we going to war with? Goldman Sachs must have investments in the defense industries.

The budget projects growth of 1% in 2026 and 2027. That's a hiccup away from recession. A small man with small ideas.This country is capable so much more. The economy grew at almost 20% a year during the war years and set the foundation for 2 decades of growth. Neoliberals will destroy Canada.

You’d think a government that talks a lot about “investing more” and “diversifying our economy” would fund higher education instead of more corporate tax cuts.

Almost 60% of Canadian oil and gas is owned by Americans, with another 6% owned by other foreigners. Who is Carney trying to help? The emphasis on exports is a problem and Canadians need to demand a full explanation of what the benefits are.

Profit is a cost to any publicly provided service that's just a fact. The notion that the private sector is more efficient is a myth. Making shareholders rich is not the function of government.

It's hard to be progressive and govern a currency using govt. Unlike the federal govt, the cash flows that fund the currency user are exogenous, and running govt really is like a household. We should give the Yukon NDP our support.

Trump and the GOP know the federal govt is funded endogenously. But they love to hear people refer to "taxpayer" money because it assumes the govt is funded exogenously like a household. It makes selling austerity so much easier.