Harper On Buying A Home

"I suspect it might have a marginal impact. I would say that that would have a modest effect. It's unlikely to bring in thousands of people.”

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper says in a period of economic uncertainty "it’s not the time for wild experiments, new taxes or grand new spending schemes." Yet he proposed two big outlays this week – $150 million to allow the self-employed to opt into EI maternity benefits and $200 million to give first-time home buyers a $750 tax break. These target certain voter demographics but don’t compare in importance to supplying enough doctors or covering life-saving drugs. The EI change will raise premiums (i.e. taxes) for employees, who don’t have the choice of volunteering for coverage. And $750 – less than the cost of one oral chemo prescription – is not going to make or break a house purchase. Good economic management is using the public funds available on what really matters and on the gravest needs. Mr. Harper’s two goodies fail that test.”