Celebrating Canada day or just enjoying a beautiful summer day?

July 1 is Canada day.

July 1 of 2010, Canadians all over the country are celebrating 143th birthday of the nation, or most of them are just enjoying a beautiful day of summer?

As of this day, much hated HST, a combination of two sales taxes, one for the federal government known as GST and the other for the provincial government known as PST, will be in effective in the largest province of the country, Ontario.

Although the governing provincial liberal proclaimed this new type of tax could generate jobs, nobody can foresee this prospective as of today. The only dramatic change I have observed is the price at gas pump, an 8% change over the night. I calculated briefly that this item alone would cost me an extra $25 a month, in addition to heating, water, electricity and legal service fee, etc. In my vision, those extra dollars are going into the pocket of provincial government, wasted as before such as e-health, or paying salary increase of public workers whoever will be on strike next.

No wonder I heard comments like this: while robbing a bank is criminal, the government is doing the same thing in the name of raising tax.

Regardless, I can still see many happy faces, under the beautiful sky of a summer day in cities of great Toronto. After all, many people would quickly forget this painful day until next time they are hurt again by another tax hike.

 

Burlington beach near lake Ontario