Grassroots Giving…New Policy for a New Party
Today is the Speech from the Throne. Stephen Harper has outlined how he will govern. The Liberals believe they can govern better. The Official Opposition’s role is to find a better alternative to the present government. It is not just to oppose.
One of the biggest priorities for young people in this country is meeting the 0.7% of our GDP to foreign aid. However, I am sick and tired of passing resolutions with no teeth. Of course we want to give 0.7% of our GDP to foreign aid. The question is how are we gonna do it. I’m sure all Canadians would be willing to contribute a penny to the cause every now and then. After all, the images of starving Sudanese children and Liberian child soldiers have shaken a generation, our generation. The internet and advanced filming technology has opened our eyes to atrocities we can barely even look at without getting sick to our stomachs. It is the responsibility of the people to step up and say “We are willing to help!”
Ok Antonio…HOW?!?!?
Where am I gonna find the money to do this? Easy, by Getting pennies from every Canadian.
(Based on Statscan figures for 2005 GDP)
Canada presently gives about 0.28% of its GDP, or about 3.75 billion dollars to foreign aid.
We want to attain 0.7% or approximately 9.3 billion dollars.
By taking the GST point Harper wants to cut, and diverting the money to foreign aid, Canadians would more than double their current contribution to foreign aid. In fact, with the GST point equivalent to 4.5 billion dollars, we would reach 8.25 billion. We would in fact be only a billion dollars short of our attainable goal of 0.7% of GDP.
Contributions would come from every corner of the country, 2 cents from a large double double at timmies, 250 dollars from a minivan. Every Canadian will do their part in addressing the needs of people who need it most.
Here are the numbers.
Canada gives 0.28% of its GDP of 1 330 684 000 000 or 3 725 000 000 to foreign aid.
The GST Tax point is worth 4 500 000 000 dollars.
That would make our total 8 225 000 000 in foreign aid.
8 225 000 000/1 330 684 000 000 = 0.618
Ok so I didn’t get us to 0.7. But .62 is bringing us ever so closer.
We would be only a billion dollars a year away from reaching our goal. Given the government surpluses we have been seeing over the years, I am sure any government can find it in their hearts to commit to the extra billion.
There we have it a solution.
Liberal Policy Conventions are usually about debating problems instead of solutions. Let’s make this convention about debating the latter.
One of the biggest priorities for young people in this country is meeting the 0.7% of our GDP to foreign aid. However, I am sick and tired of passing resolutions with no teeth. Of course we want to give 0.7% of our GDP to foreign aid. The question is how are we gonna do it. I’m sure all Canadians would be willing to contribute a penny to the cause every now and then. After all, the images of starving Sudanese children and Liberian child soldiers have shaken a generation, our generation. The internet and advanced filming technology has opened our eyes to atrocities we can barely even look at without getting sick to our stomachs. It is the responsibility of the people to step up and say “We are willing to help!”
Ok Antonio…HOW?!?!?
Where am I gonna find the money to do this? Easy, by Getting pennies from every Canadian.
(Based on Statscan figures for 2005 GDP)
Canada presently gives about 0.28% of its GDP, or about 3.75 billion dollars to foreign aid.
We want to attain 0.7% or approximately 9.3 billion dollars.
By taking the GST point Harper wants to cut, and diverting the money to foreign aid, Canadians would more than double their current contribution to foreign aid. In fact, with the GST point equivalent to 4.5 billion dollars, we would reach 8.25 billion. We would in fact be only a billion dollars short of our attainable goal of 0.7% of GDP.
Contributions would come from every corner of the country, 2 cents from a large double double at timmies, 250 dollars from a minivan. Every Canadian will do their part in addressing the needs of people who need it most.
Here are the numbers.
Canada gives 0.28% of its GDP of 1 330 684 000 000 or 3 725 000 000 to foreign aid.
The GST Tax point is worth 4 500 000 000 dollars.
That would make our total 8 225 000 000 in foreign aid.
8 225 000 000/1 330 684 000 000 = 0.618
Ok so I didn’t get us to 0.7. But .62 is bringing us ever so closer.
We would be only a billion dollars a year away from reaching our goal. Given the government surpluses we have been seeing over the years, I am sure any government can find it in their hearts to commit to the extra billion.
There we have it a solution.
Liberal Policy Conventions are usually about debating problems instead of solutions. Let’s make this convention about debating the latter.
par / by Anthony à / at 3:55 p.m.
14 Commentaires:
That idea is fantastic!
Hopefully, this will pass
Brilliant
it is up to the government to deal with the details of how people will get the money.
Lester Pearson's commitment was a financial one. My proposal wishes to achieve that objective.
Telling other countries how to spend our money is also something people do not want either. A Marshall Plan for Africa is a long way away. Europeans didnt mind the cultural differences.
Excellent idea, Antonio; this is one of many things which the opposition parties can agree on, and it would highlight the ideological bankruptcy of the Tories' fictive "Canadian values" and "compassionate nature."
During the election campaign, MPH (make poverty history) was campaigning harder then some MP's I do say... Apparently a few of the parties signed their "petition"... I heard the Liberals did... But did the Tory's?
***Here's for the cynical moment of the day, brought to you by : that annoying frenchie dipper. ***
Wow, raise our foreign aid! Great idea! If only you could have been to power the last fourteen years, that would have been awesome! I'm pretty sure you would have done that instead of, geez, I don't know, huge corporate tax cuts. Or putting higher caps in retirement money you can save each year without paying taxes. Or hiring David Dingwall. Man, if only you liberals would have been in power all this time.
(or, 0.7 % is easily attendable. If you like to attend it
by cancelling the GST cut, i have no problems with it; but please, do it this time.)
well
I never heard the NDP propose anything like divert 5.5 billion dollars and do this...they had the mercy of Paul Martin and got 4 billion out of him, some for foreign aid, but nothing like this.
Also, Christo, I know it may surprise you to know that I am not the Liberal Party. I am making a suggestion as a Liberal.
As President of the NDP Youth in Quebec, I do solicit your support in this endeavour.
I imagine the Bloc would agree with this as well. And No, Quebec cannot have its share to distribute as Quebec's money. Sorry Benoit Aid is federal jurisdiction.
Antonio : I know you,re not the Liberal party. But you were talking about a liberal policy convention, that the Liberal party would apply, which is why I was quite cynical.
And as I said : If you ever bring such a motion in the House, I would personnaly support it. I still think there would be better way to finance it (sales taxes are not progressive at all, as we argued before, and let's not divert to this anyway), but almost anything that can help us get closer to 0.7 % will have my personnal support and, I hope, the support of my party.
Foreign Aid is one of those issues where everyone when polled says sure yeah increase our aid to other countires, but come time to cut back in other area's to increase the aid nobody wants to.
Promise to raise foregin aid during an election campagin, but don't ever actually do it. The only guy who might care is Bono.
deport antonio!
We are not done with Portuguese people
Antonio is Italian
he will have to wait his turn to be deported
I would like to join Antonio and be deported to nice south Italian villa next winter at taxpwyers expense.
Denise Brunsdon is a cum-guzzeling whore!
Why are you such an idiot Antonio?
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