Canadian Council of Chief Executives

Human and Community Development

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Social Policy

Canadians believe in a society that is collectively compassionate and generous, but that is equally firm in upholding the importance of individual self-reliance and fiscally responsible governments. We believe in looking after those who cannot look after themselves, but also support the idea that people should do what they can, and have a right to reap the rewards of their labour.

Efforts to channel scarce resources to low-income Canadians have given short-term relief to those most in need. But in the process, they have mired families with modest incomes in a quicksand of disincentives, a trap in which the harder they try to pull themselves toward the security of a higher after-tax income, the more they feel the futility of their efforts. The huge marginal tax rates that flow from tightly targeted incentives are simply unfair to those they are intended to help.
Children need help in getting off to a good start no matter what their families' income level. The development of the Canada Child Tax Benefit has made a real difference in helping low-income families, but creates excessive marginal tax rates if and when their incomes rise.
As in other industrialized countries, Canada's population is aging. Governments need to plan now for the resulting increase in the cost of programs that support seniors. Despite the negative economic impact of higher tax rates in the short term, the CCCE strongly supported reforms to the Canada Pension Plan that improved its sustainability through sharply higher contribution rates.
At the federal, provincial and municipal levels, it is vital to ensure that each tax dollar spent on social services has the greatest possible impact. To this end, governments must work together more effectively, especially in improving accountability for the resources allocated to social programs and in focusing more attention on outcomes achieved rather than on inputs consumed.
A strong social safety net, along with high quality public services in areas such as health care, education, infrastructure and the environment, can add both to quality of life and to economic competitiveness. But social programs are the fruit of a strong economy, not the other way around. If Canadians want to fulfill ambitious goals as a society, we have to get the economy right first.


Click for further information:	Home >> Human and Community Development >> Social Policy Social Policy Canadians believe in a society that is collectively compassionate and generous, but that is equally firm in upholding the importance of individual self-reliance and fiscally responsible governments. We believe in looking after those who cannot look after themselves, but also support the idea that people should do what they can, and have a right to reap the rewards of their labour. Efforts to channel scarce resources to low-income Canadians have given short-term relief to those most in need. But in the process, they have mired families with modest incomes in a quicksand of disincentives, a trap in which the harder they try to pull themselves toward the security of a higher after-tax income, the more they feel the futility of their efforts. The huge marginal tax rates that flow from tightly targeted incentives are simply unfair to those they are intended to help. Children need help in getting off to a good start no matter what their families' income level. The development of the Canada Child Tax Benefit has made a real difference in helping low-income families, but creates excessive marginal tax rates if and when their incomes rise. As in other industrialized countries, Canada's population is aging. Governments need to plan now for the resulting increase in the cost of programs that support seniors. Despite the negative economic impact of higher tax rates in the short term, the CCCE strongly supported reforms to the Canada Pension Plan that improved its sustainability through sharply higher contribution rates. At the federal, provincial and municipal levels, it is vital to ensure that each tax dollar spent on social services has the greatest possible impact. To this end, governments must work together more effectively, especially in improving accountability for the resources allocated to social programs and in focusing more attention on outcomes achieved rather than on inputs consumed. A strong social safety net, along with high quality public services in areas such as health care, education, infrastructure and the environment, can add both to quality of life and to economic competitiveness. But social programs are the fruit of a strong economy, not the other way around. If Canadians want to fulfill ambitious goals as a society, we have to get the economy right first.
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