[DrCaleb]

iPhones didn't exist when the GST was introduced. GST still applies to them. The GST isn't 'new' just because it applies to a new product or service. (The S in GST) And it won't be a new tax if it applies to streaming services.

[Freakinoldguy]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

But I think reasonable people could understand that it’s right and reasonable that if a universal sales tax exists, it should apply to all sales and not simply sales of certain products that existed when the sales tax was introduced. Even if you don't agree with the sales tax, I think a reasonable person would agree that if it does exist it should at least be applied consistently and fairly.

I have no problem with the GST being applied consistently and fairly but that's not what I'm arguing. I'm arguing that it ends up being an application of a new tax increase onto the consumer.

So why has the gov't waited to apply this tax till now? The current one has had 4 years to bring "fairness" to the taxing of service providers to include streaming services yet they waited till just before an election to do it?

And, you can't honestly tell me that the Gov't is so dense it doesn't understand that any new tax applied to a service provider won't be passed on to their customers because I don't believe that for one minute. So, they know that by suddenly applying this tax to streaming services means it in essence becomes another tax on Canadians hidden under the guise of "fairness in GST application".

Now am I saying they shouldn't apply the tax evenly across the board no, but no matter how you spin it this becomes another tax on the Canadian consumer just like the one on new car purchases or on major appliances.

$1:

What is the Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
The goods and services tax (GST) is a value-added tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption. The GST is paid by consumers, but it is remitted to the government by the businesses selling the goods and services. In effect, GST provides revenue for the government.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gst.asp

[Tricks]

Are we freaking out about 2 dollars a month now? Also... who's saying that the consumer won't pay for the GST?

[llama66]

I am, I haven't seen a raise in 5 fucking years, but I've seen my expenses soar during said time. I mean, I now live paycheque to 5 days before next paycheque.

[Freakinoldguy]

How about this. It's only 2 dollars a month charged to 4.3 million Canadians (number of Canadian subscriptions) which means the gov't will now get 8.6 million dollars monthly or 103 million dollar a year or 1.3 billion dollars every 10 years.

That last number may be a mere pittance to our current gov't and wouldn't even fund 1/10th of our largess to Sub Saharan Africa but, to the people paying it who, like llama haven't seen a pay raise in decades or, people on a fixed budget it erodes their income even more.

[stratos]

$2 here a $1 there oh and a $5 tax on that. Eventually taxes will eat up a fixed or stagnate income. When you start including that the price of things also keep rising what was once a nice income becomes nothing and a person is figuring out if they can afford cable TV or the meds they need.

[Tricks]

Then don't have netflix. You don't have a gun to your head to have netflix.

[raydan]

I don't have Netfix.