PLWBlogSpot2

You cost the health system money? Watch out. You're in the government's crosshairs. Another tax hike? Another cut in services?The government knows it has to make some very unpopular decisions. We've seen the stats. We've heard the mantra: An aging population will suck the life blood out of the health system. Let's examine that a little more carefully. Government likes to blame baby boomers for this impending crisis. Once we retire, once we stop paying the kind of taxes we pay now, the system won't be able to afford to support us in the same way our tax dollars have supported everyone else. Should there be a means test, so "high-income seniors" don't get their drugs paid for through the government's Ontario Drug Benefit Program. This is the thin edge of the wedge. It will be high income today — and tomorrow middle-class seniors will get axed from the plan. Health, as a percentage of provincial program spending, will reach almost 80% by 2030 if i...

To be elected to power in Canada; if you carry The Provinces of Quebec and Ontario that's about all the Party needs. The rest of Canada - little or no representation. Same for the Senate. ******************************** Note the NZ Representation in the above Posts for New Zealand. 17 by my count. ********************************  New Zealand’s Parliament consists of the Sovereign and the House of Representatives. The Sovereign’s role in Parliament includes opening and dissolving Parliament, and giving the Royal assent to bills passed in the House of Representatives. Almost all bills are referred to a select committee at which the public can make submissions. Most bills emerge from this process considerably better for the public input. New Zealand’s Parliament  has only one chamber (the House of Representatives) and there is no upper house such as a senate. They also have a Governor General similar to any Commonwealth Country. The House of Representatives consists of members ...

According to PowerStream.ca, the Ontario Energy Board's April 15 increases in the Regulated Price Plan (RPP) commodity prices for electricity customers in Ontario will add 6 per cent to bills. The Harmonized Sales Tax, effective July 1, will add another 8 per cent to all utility bills across the province. A small (regulatory?? Charge) has also been added as required by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to cover the cost of provincial conservation initiatives. It seems that even Power Stream has no idea how much since they only call it " small ," or are afraid to announce the actual charge. In addition to the never-ending Ontario Hydro debt charges on which we already pay the 5 percent GST, we can count on being taxed the full HST on that ridiculous charge as well. The bottom line is that many people, are on affixed retirement income and are already struggling. We are in for rough ride, especially next winter. The electricity providers will need to hire additional ...

Owner-pharmacist is steering a retired nurse toward the cheaper private label brand of baby aspi- rin while summoning a staff member to address a problem with her Glucometer, a device that measures blood sugar levels. A lot of people choose to deal with independents because of the level of personal service they offer. But he says that service may wane in future under the province's proposed drug re- forms. The Ontario government plans to slash $750 million in professional allowances pharmacists receive from generic drug makers, part of a plan to cut the price of those drugs in half. The cuts, which Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews says will bring Ontario's drug prices in line with other jurisdictions, will hit pharmacies across the province, wheth- er they're independently owned, part of a national chain, or housed in supermarkets or discount department stores. The industry says independents such as  who account for 51per cent of the Ontario market, will be hit hardest....