If one person says it, people might just think they’re crazy. If two, imagine two people, saying they don’t want a tax cut – they just want fair taxes – they might think it’s some sort of conspiracy. And if three people, that’s right three people, say they want a fair tax system– they might think it’s an organization. But if dozens, hundreds, then thousands of people demand fair taxes, strong public services and a vibrant community, well they might just think it’s a movement. And that’s what it is – the movement to build a better, stronger, more equal, more sustainable BC.
And you can be part of it by just filling out the form below to let us know who you are and how to reach you.
What you can do to build the campaign for fair taxes
In writing and in person:
- If you belong to a place of worship, a community group, a union or other organization that has a newsletter, send in an article for them to publish. Resources on this site can help you with ideas and facts.
- Write a letter to your local community newspaper about fair taxes and public services you depend on. Respond to letters or editorials on the HST referendum or anything to do with taxes and public services.
- Phone in to call-in shows if they are talking about any subject connected to these issues.
- Hand out our neat little notice card promoting this web-site at your community group, union or Parent Advisory Committee mettings.
- Talk to friends, neighbours, relatives and co-workers about these ideas. Challenge the myths about taxes and public services when they come up.
Use the web, facebook, twitter and email:
- If you or your organization has a web-site add a link to ours or you can create a link to this web-site on your personal facebook page.
- Use this link to go to our facebook page. “Like” the campaign for fair taxes and share it with all your facebook friends.
- Tweet about this web-site, the campaign, or a tax fact, story or video you want to share.
- Write comments about fair taxes in your blog, or add a comment on another blog, or make a comment to an on-line news article or opinion column.
- Send an email notice to your email contacts or your organization’s email list about the campaign and this web-site.
- Put a link to this site in your automatic email signature – or create a signature with the link for all your outgoing email messages. Include this tagline: The Best Deal in Town: Fair Taxes & Good Public Services.
Resources you can download
Join the Fair Tax Campaign
Information will not be shared or used for any purpose except to support campaigns of the Coalition to Build a Better BC.
Learn more about fair taxation
Ask a British Columbian about taxes, and you’ll likely hear some variation on the idea that everyone should pay their fair share. Most people assume that the wealthy pay more, not only in straight dollars, but also a higher tax rate as a share of their income. Read more …
The Power of Taxes: The Case for Investing in Canadians By Stephen Dale and Trish Hennessy
What do you think of when you hear the word “taxes”? Hospitals you can turn to in the middle of the night if you or your children get sick? The $10,000 having a baby could cost if you lived in the U.S. and didn’t have health insurance? Read more …
Corporate Income Taxes, Profit, and Employment Performance of Canada’s Largest Companies by David Macdonald
This study tracks 198 companies on the S&P/TSX composite from 2000 through 2009 and finds those companies—Canada’s largest corporations—are making 50% more profit and paying 20% less tax than they did a decade ago. Read more …
Taxes and Public Services by Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie was the speaker at a recent CCPA-Rideau Institute event that asked the question, ‘can we have an adult conversation about taxes?’ This is the transcript of his speech in which he makes the case for rebuilding our government’s ability to make public investments and meet the nation’s challenges. Read more …
Eroding Tax Fairness: Tax Incidence in Canada, 1990 to 2005 by Marc Lee
More than a decade’s worth of tax cuts have disproportionately lined the pockets of Canada’s most affluent families, says a tax study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
The study finds the top 1 percent of families in 2005 paid a lower total tax rate than the bottom 10 percent of families.
“Canada’s tax system now fails a basic test of fairness… Read more …
Who Gets What from the 2007 BC Tax Cut? by Stuart Murray
A Behind the Numbers report which breaks down just who will benefit from the tax cut in the 2007 provincial budget. Key findings are that the tax cut is cumulatively expensive to the public purse (and deprives the treasury of money that could be used to virtually eliminate homelessness over the next few years), while being worth very little to each household. Read more …
Cost Shift: How British Columbians are paying for their tax cutby Sylvia Fuller, Lindsay Stephens
In June 2001 the provincial government introduced massive income tax cuts. It promised this would put more money in British Columbians’ pockets without a reduction in public services.
Cost Shift shows how the gains from tax cuts have been wiped out or significantly reduced by major new costs. These include: increased MSP premiums, de-listed health services, higher drug costs, higher tuition fees, higher gas tax and higher child care costs, among others. Read more …
