Federal Government & Politics II

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

Yet the national dental program is being rolled out to very elderly folks first. Here is a real question. Have the Feds asked the dental industry if they will play? The first act this government did was end some tax advantages that disproportionately affected Dentists Incomes. Medicare was a very rocky road in implementation back in the sixties.

Yes.

[Build.It]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Those "reserves" are then tax deductible expenses.

Your train of thought is pretty short sighted.

Lol this is funny.

So by having less money saved up I can make the same amount of investments? Ok...

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Hecate

But yea so far the dental care plan is helping very few Canadians who actually need dental care. The main age group needing treatment is the 18 to 45 year olds who don’t qualify.

But they will next year. In May 2024, seniors aged 65 to 69 can start applying.

Canadians with a valid disability tax credit certificate and children under the age of 18 will be able to apply online starting in June 2024.

"All remaining eligible Canadian residents will be able to apply online starting in 2025."

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Taxing business profit does not equal less employees. I'm embarrassed for you if you call yourself a business owner.

I mean…… realllllyyy???

Increasing or implementing a tax is an extra cost to the business, which the business will look to find ways to make up that lost profit….

In the most extreme cases, businesses pack up and leave to other jurisdictions that are more tax friendly.

Come on man/woman/you/they/them (?)

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Hecate

lol try $200

You must go to an expensive dentist. I always find it strange that people have a hard time finding a family doctor yet dental offices are a dime a dozen, at least in Vancouver.

[Build.It]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Come on man/woman/you/they/them (?)

[Build.It]

.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by whatnext

A dentist visit is about $125 every 9-12 months. if people can't afford that maybe they shouldn't be having kids.

This mindset is why we are relying on immigration for population growth.

[P'tit Renard]

Extraordinary that the Trudeau cabinet was even considering to bring in 1 million permanent residents for 2023. Funny enough Trudeau ignored the provinces after consulting them..


A plan to add one million permanent residents to Canada in a single year was among ideas floated behind the scenes, government docs show
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...red%20critics.

According to several consultations, provinces differed on their support for the plan, with Alberta and British Columbia seeking to put a pause on immigration growth, while Ontario and other provinces wished to see population growth that was “modest, incremental, stable and managed.”

[Build.It]

This mindset is why we are relying on immigration for population growth.

And to think this whole time I thought it was because of contraception.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Changing City

If that was true, then the government funding for dental care wouldn't be needed. "We know that in 2022 one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional because of the cost and that a third of the people living in Canada do not have dental insurance." [source]

That is a claim on a press release with no citation.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

This mindset is why we are relying on immigration for population growth.

Perhaps the fact that the cost of living has risen so high that working families can’t afford dental plans is why we’re relying on immigration for population growth.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by acottawa

That is a claim on a press release with no citation.

Come on, this isn't Wikipedia - and it is reasonable to assume that the federal government has easily accessible statistics to back up their press release:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cana...cs+dental+care

Oh look, they do:

Statistics Canada: More than one-third of Canadians reported they had not visited a dental professional in the previous 12 months, 2022

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by acottawa

That is a claim on a press release with no citation.

It's presumably based on the Statistics Canada report from the 2022 cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Come on, this isn't Wikipedia - and it is reasonable to assume that the federal government has easily accessible statistics to back up their press release:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cana...cs+dental+care

Oh look, they do:

Statistics Canada: More than one-third of Canadians reported they had not visited a dental professional in the previous 12 months, 2022

News releases are written or heavily edited by political staff, they are going to put their own spin on statistics (I am sure you didn't believe every press release Harper put out).

Not visited a dental professional and don't have access to any dental coverage are two very different things. I haven't been to a doctor in several years, it doesn't mean that OHIP doesn't exist.

In Ontario seniors already had coverage, low income people already had coverage, children already had coverage for preventative care, post-secondary students usually have dental care and most indigenous people have dental care. Even minimum wage jobs often come with dental plans. It seems implausible to me that a third of the people have no access to dental insurance.

If you look at the Statscan survey that Changing City linked above, it is clear Statscan is counting "don't know" as "no coverage." Those are again two very different things.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by acottawa

News releases are written or heavily edited by political staff, they are going to put their own spin on statistics....

Yes, of course statistics can be spun, but in this case the press release said "We know that in 2022 one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional because of the cost and that a third of the people living in Canada do not have dental insurance". Both of those points are directly referenced in the Statistics Canada report. You can certainly question StatsCan's methodology if you feel inclined, but challenging the press release on those two statements seems pointless.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Yes, of course statistics can be spun, but in this case the press release said "We know that in 2022 one in four Canadians reported avoiding visiting an oral health professional because of the cost and that a third of the people living in Canada do not have dental insurance". Both of those points are directly referenced in the Statistics Canada report. You can certainly question StatsCan's methodology if you feel inclined, but challenging the press release on those two statements seems pointless.

The claim is highly misleading. It should say something like "a third of people don't have insurance or answered that they did not know." If you were doing a political poll, you would not group "don't know" with one of the options in the poll.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Perhaps the fact that the cost of living has risen so high that working families can’t afford dental plans is why we’re relying on immigration for population growth.

I agree. But saying people shouldn't have kids is basically reinforcing the cycle. Finding a way to make affording kids cheaper is not a bad thing. As it stands, where we're at, having a kid is becoming a luxury.

Every couple who chooses not to have a kid today means that we need 1-2 immigrants two decades from now. Keep this in mind.

Quebec is arguably the only province in Canada that understands this and has gone all out to make having kids cheaper and easier.

Originally Posted by Build.It

And to think this whole time I thought it was because of contraception.

You think we're relying on immigration because more women don't have unintentional pregnancies anymore? I hope you have a daughter someday.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Build.It

not funny.

Post less, think more.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I agree. But saying people shouldn't have kids is basically reinforcing the cycle. Finding a way to make affording kids cheaper is not a bad thing. As it stands, where we're at, having a kid is becoming a luxury.

Every couple who chooses not to have a kid today means that we need 1-2 immigrants two decades from now. Keep this in mind.

Quebec is arguably the only province in Canada that understands this and has gone all out to make having kids cheaper and easier.



You think we're relying on immigration because more women don't have unintentional pregnancies anymore? I hope you have a daughter someday.

This kind of talk if you can't afford things don't have kids ignores that they are going to have kids anyway. Do we want them desperately poor with teeth falling out on the track to become criminals or do we want to provide a basic level of healthcare education such that they have a hope at least of contributing to society. Sure the programs go off kilter but helping the less fortunate isn't just a kindness but makes for a society where we can thrive without fear of widespread criminality as well. The dental plan is ad hoc and does nothing to reduce costs which is my criticism. (And granted the poorest folks are already covered by provincial plans but the working poor also struggle to afford such care)