Programs impacted
Vernon Morning Star - Cariboo Press
April 11, 2008
Opinion by Lynne Reside

On your editorial page of March 9, Tyler Olsen wrote an excellent article on the joys of taxation.

I was very impressed to hear the comments from a younger man about being happy to pay taxes!

In my work in early childhood education and early childhood development, I see the effects of tax cuts on our most vulnerable population. It may seem like a good idea to put more money into the pockets of the general population, but in reality, tax cuts result in cuts to much-needed programs. I am not an economist, but I do know that in countries with relatively higher taxation there is much greater commitment to social programs.

One only has to look at countries such as Sweden to see the outcomes of a strong commitment to social programs.

Although Canada is one of the richest nations in the world our financial commitment to early childhood development is the very last of the 20 wealthiest countries.

It's been said many times but it rings true - it takes a village to raise a child and it takes a nation to raise a generation.

There is a correlation

Our country made a commitment based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000. In 2008, B.C. has seen an increase in child poverty and we have seen cuts to our national child care plan.

There are many examples in other countries of good programs that support families and children's opportunity to reach their potential without taxing the citizens to death. When children and their families do not have the opportunity to reach their potential, we all pay the price….