{"id":393637,"date":"2022-01-13T19:59:48","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T16:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/should-we-tax-the-unvaccinated\/"},"modified":"2022-01-13T19:59:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-13T16:59:48","slug":"should-we-tax-the-unvaccinated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/should-we-tax-the-unvaccinated\/","title":{"rendered":"#Should we tax the unvaccinated?"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Should we tax the unvaccinated?<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n Politics Insider for Jan. 13: The debate over Quebec’s tax on the unvaxxed; the backlash over Ontario’s handling of school openings; and a former Supreme Court justice’s controversial role in Hong Kong\n <\/div>\n
\n Welcome to a sneak peek of the\u00a0<\/em>Maclean\u2019s\u00a0Politics Insider\u00a0news<\/a>letter.\u00a0Sign up to get it delivered\u00a0straight to your inbox in the morning.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Let us see:<\/strong> There is reason to wonder, Paul Wells<\/strong> writes in Maclean\u2019s<\/em>, if Francois Legault<\/strong> will really demand a \u201chealth contribution\u201d from unvaxxed Quebecers. Wells thinks the idea has some merit\u2014it has \u201cbroad conceptual clarity\u201d\u2014but Legault was not prepared to discuss any details<\/strong>, which, given his track record, suggests it all may just be talk. And the political advantage of such a policy as a wedge is unclear.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe unvaccinated\u201d designates a group that shrinks every day.<\/strong> Even now, after a year of vaccine drives, it\u2019s not coterminous with obstinate conspiracy-theory-driven refusal to be vaccinated. Which helps explain why even the thrice-vaxxed, well-masked, tight-bubble civic leaders in COVID virtue often have a hard time working up real anger against those who aren\u2019t yet playing along.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Trudeau unsure:<\/strong> Justin Trudeau<\/strong> is no surer than Wells whether this would really be a good idea, CBC reports<\/a>: \u201cDetails matter. We need to know exactly what measures they\u2019re putting forward. We need to know the terms and conditions so we can know if it\u2019ll be effective. We\u2019ll be looking at the details to see how exactly this will transpire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not enough kids:<\/strong> Trudeau also said more children need to get vaccinated, Reuters reports:<\/a>\u00a0\u201cWe need to get more, so please ask your parents<\/strong> if you can get vaccinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Popular idea: Brian Lilley<\/strong>, in the Toronto Sun<\/em>, doesn\u2019t think the unvaxxed tax is a good idea, but, he reports<\/a>, a majority of voters across the country do, according to a fresh Maru poll: \u201cSupport was highest in British Columbia (64%), followed by Quebec (63%); Manitoba and Saskatchewan (61%); Ontario (58%); Atlantic Canada (57%); and Alberta (54%).\u201d<\/p>\n

Lineups:<\/strong> Whatever anyone else thinks, some unvaxxed Quebecers seem to have noticed that they could be on the hook for cash if they don\u2019t get jabbed, CTV reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Logic behind it:<\/strong> In La Presse<\/em>,\u00a0Francis Vailles<\/strong> explains the reasoning<\/a> for the policy idea: the unvaxed are indeed costing the health care system about a $1 million a day in Quebec (translation<\/a>).<\/p>\n

According to available data, the risk of hospitalization of recalcitrant is 7.1 times greater than that of vaccinated and their intensive care attendance rate, 13.8 times greater. Taking these proportions again, we can estimate that with their vaccination, there would have been app<\/a>roximately 237 fewer patients in intensive care for 28 days and 924 fewer in the ordinary unit (excluding intensive care). Knowing that a COVID stay costs $ 50,000 in intensive care and $ 15,000 otherwise, it can be estimated that the refusal of the unvaccinated to comply has cost the government $ 26 million over the past 28 days. In short, we are at nearly $ 1 million per day<\/strong>. That\u2019s a lot of dough!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Against:<\/strong> In the Post<\/em>, John Ivison<\/strong> writes that<\/a> the whole thing is a bad idea, and maybe illegal to boot.<\/p>\n

Targeting the vaccine hesitant with an additional taxation obligation is discriminatory and sure to be the subject of a future constitutional challenge<\/strong>. It is astonishing to think that this Liberal government is not only relaxed about the Canada Health Act being breached, and serene about blatant discrimination against a minority of the population, it is also indulgent of a regressive tax that does not make allowance for age or income.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Confusing:<\/strong> In Ontario, meanwhile, many people are upset with the government\u2019s confusing new guidelines for how to handle outbreaks in schools and daycares, the Star<\/em> reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Away from China:<\/strong> In the Globe<\/em>, Bob Fife<\/strong> and Steve Chase<\/strong> have an interesting story<\/a> about a foreign policy shift Global Affairs is contemplating: \u201ca multibillion-dollar Indo-Pacific strategy that would shift Canada\u2019s reliance away from China by diversifying trade and investment in Asia, the Pacific Rim and beyond while boosting security and international assistance contributions to the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The strategy involves Ottawa establishing a bigger diplomatic footprint in the Indo-Pacific and contributing to infrastructure investments in the region as part of a Western effort to counter China\u2019s controversial Belt and Road Initiative. Beijing is pouring US$1-trillion into building railways, ports and pipelines from Asia to Africa in what many experts regard as a state-directed effort to bolster Chinese political influence and extend its military reach. Other elements would include increasing spending on international development assistance and fighting climate change.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s also interesting context about the recent move to engage on trade with Taiwan, which Canadian mandarins had earlier feared might anger Beijing.<\/p>\n

Crackdown:<\/strong> The Globe<\/em> also a story<\/a> on the Communist crackdown in Hong Kong, which is raising questions about the role of former Supreme Court of Canada chief justice Beverley McLachlin\u00a0<\/strong>on the city\u2019s top court. Some say she should exit the court, but she tells the Globe<\/em> she is staying:\u00a0\u201cSo long as the Court of Final Appeal is independent, it remains a force for justice<\/strong> and the rule of law \u2013 and if the critics are right, a badly needed one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Misinfo:<\/strong> In the Star<\/em>, Althia Raj<\/strong> has a persuasive column on Erin O\u2019Toole\u2019s<\/strong> recent disingenuous attack on\u00a0Steven Guilbeault<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s somewhat ironic the very criticism O\u2019Toole levies \u2014 that the Liberals operate through short catchy phrases \u2014 is exactly what he then does. But what troubles me most is O\u2019Toole is clearly aware this is not what Guilbeault intended to say. And yet, he has no qualms<\/strong> capitalizing on it and sharing and fuelling misinformation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Stephen Maher<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Sorry influencer:<\/strong> L\u2019\u00abinfluenceuse vapoteuse\u00bb Vanessa Sicotte<\/strong>, whose image vaping aboard a Sunwing flight to Cancun went around the world, has apologized for her role in the headline-making excursion, le\u00a0Journal de Montr\u00e9al<\/em> reports<\/a>\u00a0(translation<\/a>).<\/p>\n