Please Be Advised

Those who have a reflexive aversion to criticism of Prime Minister Mark Carney might wish to skip over to another blog, as this one contains yet more criticisms of his efforts to appease Trump. 

Opinion | Mark Carney, we expected more from you

Killing the Digital Services Tax is a step backwards, July 3

Contributor Kean Birch points out the revenues gained by the owners of social media sites as they collect and sell data collected from their users. But this is only a fraction of the wealth to be generated by the many uses of artificial intelligence. It’s time we took seriously the need to use this wealth for the benefit of more than a few dozen oligarchs. Millions will lose their livelihoods as it becomes possible to do many kinds of work with AI. How can we prevent both the likely catastrophic drop in incomes and the loss of identity and sense of value that come from joblessness? The technology will provide the resources that could be used to avoid such harms — but we will have to be bold and creative enough to take strong measures to use them. If our leaders don’t have the guts to implement even such a small measure as a digital services tax, how can we make them do what’s going to be needed in the next few years?

Our new prime minister wants to transform our economy. Let’s hope he will do so in ways that benefit all of us, not just the few who own the technology.

Julie Beddoes, Toronto

Carney is not what a lot of Liberals hoped for

The ascension of Mark Carney to Prime Minister was probably based on enough voters thinking that years as a top-tier finance guy would provide the knowledge and smarts to right the Canadian economic ship in light of current threats. However, the disappointments are coming fast and furious. The cancellation of the digital services tax was a capitulation, pure and simple. The digital giants like Alphabet have grabbed all the advertising revenue and collect our data without contributing their fair share of taxes. This makes a mockery of Carney’s “elbows up” rhetoric. The middle-class tax cut looks like Carney putting on his best Doug Ford impersonation. Is this wise when our public services are crumbling, especially in Ontario? The cosying up to Alberta and the seeming openness to reinforcing Canada as a Petrostate is disturbing in light of alarming global heating happening here and now. The NATO spending commitment to five per cent of GDP is another head scratching move since not even the U.S.A. spends five per cent of their GDP on defence. The cancellation of the increase in the capital gains inclusion rate is another disappointment given that adjusting the capital gains regime is the low hanging fruit of tax fairness. At this point, we can say that Canada has a “Progressive Conservative” Liberal government. While this is better than the alternative of a snarly, fear mongering, Conservative government, it is not what a lot of Liberals and progressive voters hoped for.

Peter Bertollo, Brampton

PM gave up his best bargaining chip

It’s my opinion Prime Minister Mark Carney gave up his best bargaining chip with U.S. President Donald Trump. I feel Trump should have been told the federal government’s digital service tax was a concession, but only after Trump returned to the table and a mutually agreeable trade deal had been worked out between Canada and America.

Al Brackley, Oshawa

Grovelling only encourages abuse

Paramount settled an absurd lawsuit brought by Mad King Donald Trump — it’s a blistering betrayal of all media, July 2

Thank you Vinay Menon for pointing out the betrayal of some news media companies to appease the corrupt and greedy U.S. president. But even our own prime minister has shown his willingness to walk back his big words and promises and caved in to U.S. President Donald Trump. When are certain politicians, corporations and individuals going to understand that grovelling only encourages a bully to continue his abuse?

Raphael Vigod, Toronto 

To be fair, however, one reader's opinion differs from the above:

Let the prime minister do his job

Critics of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s policy on U.S. trade may not have their job, mortgage, and family finances on the line. Our prime minister is acutely aware of what it means for families to lose their jobs. The shear stress can cause mental illness and destroy one’s desire to keep trying. The desire to win has no place in negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump. It will only give Trump the desire to inflict greater pain on Canadians which will result in more unemployment, increased social costs, and less revenues in the government’s coffers. Who wants that? Let the prime minister do his job and give him the support he needs to get a deal done.

Ken Stock, Port Hope

 That's all for now from the peanut gallery.