More on the Harper years of abuse

The Harper Index

10 numbers that define a decade of Stephen Harper's attempts to remake the political face of Canada.

The prime minister invoked the threat of global terrorism and his economic record to make his case for four more years in the kickoff to #elxn42 Sunday, August 2. But it's his decade-long tenure that his critics say has posed the biggest risk to our democracy. Check out this score sheet.

42% 

Average amount the income of the top 10 per cent of Canadians has grown since 2005. Meanwhile, the median net worth of the bottom 10 per cent of Canadians has shrunk by 150 per cent. Income inequality in Canada is growing faster than in most other OECD countries.

$60 billion 

Value of corporate tax cuts since 2006. According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, lower corporate taxes have caused the Harper government to cut federal spending markedly to balance the budget (some 37,000 jobs have been lost in the civil service), stifling economic growth.

$50 billion

Amount drawn out of the Employment Insurance fund. Under rule changes introduced by the Harper government, only 37 per cent of unemployed Canadians qualify for Employment Insurance.

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https://nowtoronto.com/news/the-harper-index/

Thanks Ed