VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: Two sides to every story

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There are always two sides to every story and the letter Phase out the CAP (Voice of the People, April 25) most eloquently describes only one side.

What should be understood is that the majority of homes protected under the Capped Assessment Program (CAP) are older properties that have been in the hands of their now retired, fixed- or low-income seniors for 30/40/50 years.

To remove the CAP arbitrarily as suggested would cause significant financial hardship to a large number of these people and may well lead to increased mental stress and additional reliance on government support programs.

Nicholas Carson, Halifax

Symptom of our society

I read the letter Can’t take it back (Voice of the People, April 23) and was disappointed with the take on the issue.

In the past, you said a simple “sorry, will not happen again” or “my most humble apologies,” gave a handshake and everyone moved on.

Today people will not accept less than the person who made a mistake – honest or not – to atone for the perceived misgiving: blood will be let and so be it.

The article is a symptom of our society today. You give from your heart, make a simple mistake and then you are laid out to dry and there is no getting back on the horse. This is a symptom of having fewer volunteers in communities willing to give their time up freely — a powder keg for grief.

Maybe it is also a symptom that most people do not know their neighbour and, when given a chance, jump on the bandwagon of the minority so they can be heard.

Harold MacNeil, Lantz

Plastic pollution problem

We see the report from Dalhousie University in regard to plastic and pollution. While we have to try and minimize pollution any way we can, and we have made great strides when it comes to pollution, where does it end?

We went from bottles to plastic because it minimized the cost. The next question is how are we going to deliver products to the consumer if we move away from plastic? Another item that uses plastic is motor vehicles. I happened to look at my vehicle and was surprised to see how plastic is used in the vehicle.

It is fine to report the effects of plastic but you have to try and have a solution to replace plastics.

Gregory Boudreau, Halifax

Government attacks pensions, charities

Many of us do not have pensions like our members of Parliament. We have to live within our income, unlike the government, and save money for our retirement.

Many of us put our savings into private companies or trusts. Sometimes it is for convenience. If your holding company has three shares, for example, and holds a number of investments listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, when you die you will pay the normal taxes but you only have to change the ownership names on those three shares not all the shares of the companies you may have purchased. Doctors, and similar professionals, may incorporate their businesses which they hope will prosper and provide them with income when it comes time to retire. This budget increases the tax on these savings, these are our pensions.

We were already paying capital gains tax on long-held investments even though much of the gain is a result of inflation not an increase in buying power. Now this tax has been increased.

Some generous Canadians give significant donations to charities, hospitals, universities and the like. If they continue to give the same amount, the charity is going to get less as this budget has more going to the government. Charity giving has been going down for years. Should our government not be encouraging giving instead of doing exactly the opposite?

If my member wants my vote, get the spending under control.

Ian McKee, Halifax