[OnTheIce]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Well I wasn't referring to tax rates, but the various cash hand-outs, including tax credits and write-offs, given out to invidual businesses.

But the point still applies. Is giving people a break on their income tax, tax credits, etc all "handouts" or does that only apply to businesses?

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Regarding "repeat users", I'm not sure what you're implying. A "repeat user" is a program abuser and therefore needs a good ol'fashioned whip-cracking?

There are some legitimate repeat users, like moms and dads with maternity/parental leave for example.

It's the chronic abusers and those too good for most of the jobs out there and those who just quit because the job "sucks".

[ShepherdsDog]

A friend of mine was an electrician(a good IBEW boy). Whenever, him and his pals finished a construction job and went on pogey, their job hunts were as follows: laying in bed and or hanging around the house until noon, waiting for a call from the union office. He got tired of this, finished his schooling and is now an engineer. Since then, the only time off he's had are holidays.

Then there are some of the seasonal jobs, where they make a shitload of money in 4 months but are still able to collect unemployment insurance. A means test might also be something to consider. My wife's own personal experience with EI was mat leave. While on it she received mat benefits from the school division plus EI benefits(max). In our opinion it wasn't really needed (the EI) based on her mat benefits from the school division and our family income/savings(something I think should be considered). Also,like MPIC(not sure about other provinces other than MB), EI shouLd pay back a certain portion of 'profits' to insurance holders, either in reductions or payments, rather than leaving it as a slush fund for the pigs in parliament.....because you know the dirty fucks will vote themselves a raise(with benefits) sometime soon, and that cash comes from somewhere.