When popular vote loser Donald Trump was declared winner of the 2016 Presidential election, I vowed that I was gonna move to Canada. In August of this year I made good on that vow, and I’ve been living in Toronto, Ontario since then. As Republicans maneuver in Congress tonight to make the super-rich even wealthier at the expense of everyone else, I am reminded that I made the right choice.
I still travel to the US frequently due to my line of work. I am often asked by my fellow Americans why I made the move. I just want to share a Facebook post that I made answering this question — particularly as it relates to the issue of taxation and economic inequality:
Every now and then a curious American would ask me: “Why did you choose to move to Canada when the taxes there are so high?”
Indeed, I must say that taxes are higher here in the north and things are generally more expensive than south of the border. However, it’s important to note that this fact doesn’t exist in a vacuum. So let’s put things in perspective:
There is a saying in life that you get what you pay for. This very much applies to the tax situation in Canada vs the United States. Americans on average pay lower taxes than their Canadian counterparts, but they end up paying a high price for this in other ways. The US social safety net is notoriously weak and Republicans in the government are trying to destroy what’s left of it. This has lead to a much reduced standard of living for many in what is essentially the world’s richest country.
Let’s examine some of the facts:
▪️ Approximately 43 million Americans (more than the population of all of Canada) are living in poverty. This poverty rate includes around 13 million American children who go to their beds hungry at various points throughout the year because they live in households that lack the means to get enough nutritious food on a regular basis.
▪️ Nearly 28 million Americans remain uninsured or lack access to affordable health insurance. America is still the only developed country in the world that doesn’t offer some type of national health coverage for all its citizens.
▪️ America’s infrastructure is crumbling in many places due to years of underfunding and neglect. This is why we see bridges collapsing in Minnesota; trains derailing and crashing in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington and elsewhere; people been poisoned by the water Flint, Michigan; levees failing in Louisiana, etc.
▪️ America’s public education system is a mess with vast disparity in the quality of education offered in various areas. Many US public schools, particularly those in inner city areas, are severely underfunded or falling apart. The zip code where you live in America can make or break your child’s future.
There are more issues that I could mention, but I think I’ve made my point. When all is said and done, the only thing that Americans get for their tax dollars is a bloated military budget which wastes billions in unaccountable and inefficient excesses every year.
Canadians, on the other hand, get far more bang for their bucks where taxes are concerned. They do pay more on average than Americans but not by much (in some measures they pay even less). However, they have a lot to show for it:
☑️ Canada consistently ranks as having one of the highest standards of living in the world for all its citizens. You’ll never find the levels of poverty that you see in America anywhere in Canada. There are many programs available to help those who are struggling at the bottom.
☑️ All Canadians have access to universal health coverage which offers free health care without deductibles as well as up to 18 months of subsidized parental leave when they have children, among other benefits.
☑️ Canada’s infrastructure is well funded and maintained for the most part. They don’t have many of the issues which plague the US.
☑️ Canadians enjoy high-quality education for their children no matter their geographic location or socioeconomic backgrounds. There is no disparity in their public school system like you find in the US. Higher education is quite accessible and affordable for most Canadians. There is no price gouging like you see at some of the private schools in America. The most prestigious universities in Canada are several times cheaper than their equivalent in the USA.
All these things, among other factors, play a role in my decision to move to Canada. If I want to become filthy rich in life with not a care in the world for my fellow citizens, America is the place to be. Republicans are about to pass a tax bill tonight that will do just that - make life even easier for the super-rich at the expense of everyone else.
God made me with a strong conscience. I don’t live just for myself. The welfare of others around me factor significantly in my equation. Yes life in Canada may be more expensive, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay.