i think singh is more right.

i think it's something that depends on a national accounting, though. even if older people are registering higher incomes, they still have less ability to replicate that into the future. but, at some point we need to be honest: a lot of pensioners are extremely wealthy. and the most fair way to get funds to other pensioners that need them is to tax the wealthiest ones. any other approach is a process of inter-generational redistribution, which i'd consider less fair.

we don't need to be calculating balanced budgets to the dime. but, we have a financial problem ahead of us that international credit agencies are bound to involve themselves with: our tax base is going to have difficulties supporting such a large retired population. it's not that the debt is an actual problem, so much as that creditors have the ability to manufacture it into one in ways that could hurt the broader economy. you're dealing with a rigged system, and a dangerous game inside of it.

the reality is that the best way to deal with this is by transferring wealth around amongst the elderly., from those with truly substantial wealth to those that really need it. it's not a populist position, but it's a smart one in a country like canada, that is under the imf regime.

i don't really like any of these candidates, and i'm not convinced that any of them are really competitive. but, if they want to seriously take on the liberals, they're going to need to find a way to tap into the large swath of canadians that like historical ndp policy but see the liberals as more responsible economic managers. the liberal base constantly surprises me - and frustrates the party - by how consistently and legitimately progressive it is. it will like this precisely because it is, indeed, a fair redistribution policy, where one is truly needed.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/singh-caron-ashton-angus-debate-1.4200088