Thread by @LaurieAdkin

Minister Toews contradicts himself in almost the same sentence, when asked if trickle-down economics works. cochranetimes.com/news/local-new… #abpoli #ableg @uabpols @630CHED @djclimenhaga @calgaryherald

He says: “A very competitive business model means that businesses can come in and invest and work hard, […] and ultimately receive rewards from that effort and taking those risks. And that’s why we really need to create the most competitive business environment possible.”

He's talking about creating an attractive environment for investment, not a competitive one, and the way govts do that is by reducing risks for investors. For example: allowing them not to pay royalties until their investment costs have been covered;

giving them the lowest royalty rates in NAmerica; exempting them from paying anywhere near the full costs of their operations; giving them a low corporate tax rate; subsidizing their R&D costs; exempting them from paying municipal taxes; not enforcing environmental regulations;

lowering the minimum wage; creating stratified minimum wages; stripping away workers' collective bargaining and organizing rights; underfunding public services to create demand for private providers . . .

and more. This is what "creating a 'competitive' business environment" really means. It means incentivizing investment from corporations that would not be profitable in an economy that actually put the needs of the people and the nature we depend on first.