Beleaguered Canadian - Can't Cruise This Year - New Tax

[ABoatNerd]

Canadian from Ontario - Can't Cruise This Year Due to New Health Tax - Loss of Business For Celebrity

 

Hi DANNO, you are now poorer too! My husband and I have cancelled our Celebrity Cruise for 2004 due to the new Ontario Health Care Tax announced last week.

 

We now must pay $1,500 more tax per year for so-called improvements in our pathetic public health care system (for you dear Americans - the $ goes into the "consolidated revenue fund" where the big government spends it and you do not know where, how it is spent - this is different than working with your insurance company). This represents a 24% increase in our provincial (ie state income tax to you wonderful Americans) tax rate.

 

Therefore, we have eliminated much spending (loss of business to many private sector companies) to save the $1,500. Celebrity Cruise lines is just one casuality of our out of control Canadian government taxes.

 

So, I will be cruising this year via the stories that you wonderful CC folks post here.

 

Take care CC folks and happy and safe cruising

 

ABoatNerd

[Danno]

It always amazes me when our US friends tell me how nice it would be if they too had FREE health care...I'm cruising anyway.

 

Given the choice I still think ours is the superior system...but this Ontario government is doing all it can to change my mind!!

 

Dan

 

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

 

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04

Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

 

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[floridacruisers]

Sometimes the greener grass on the other side of the fence is duckweed. There has to be a compromise between the two systems that would work for the benefit of all.

[woodofpine]

Hi I'm from the Gov't, I'm here to help you - beep...

 

Please fill you these 17 forms and 16 schedule attachments - beep. Application fee, application fee, oops! Entitlement program - 3 more forms...

 

You're done... oops! North Bay - triple by-pass, 57 years... take meds for 9 months - then you're good to go. Toranto - 64 years - quad by-pass... stand in line 13 years and you good to go. Want funeral insurance - provincial supp. $59.95

[YOW]

don't forget the GST on those meds, and on that funeral!

 

I had initially heard a substantially lower figure, but need to investigate further just how much this new tax (let's call it what it is) will affect DW & myself. Surely they could find money from some of those fat gov't trought programmes? Hmm, well, maybe not.

[high seas gal]

Wow, I'm amazed, and didn't know about this new tax. My sister has lived in Toronto for 25 years ... single, and working part-time. I'm sure this will affect her tremendously! But even here everything is going up. Our group health coverage (through Kaiser) is going from $660/Month for DH and myself, to $880/Month with the new contract year for our company, starting 9/1/04. Where will it end?

 

High Seas Gal

Northern California

 

Celebrity Mercury - October 13, 2004 - Mexico!

 

NCL Sky Jun. 2000 (ALASKA)

NCL Sky Aug. 2001 (ALASKA)

Princess Regal Princess Jul. 2002 (ALASKA)

NCL Sun Sep. 2003 (ALASKA)

 

[marvholly]

Was discussing medical insurance with our human resources dept yesterday. Our policy is scheduled to renew in Sept or Oct. Company offers a choice of a PPO or HMO via Humana. Well, they have made so many mistakes with not only the coverage for us "peons" but also for the people with windows and carpet in their officesl. Example: I changed from family coverage to individual last Sept and they claim I am not insured. Got a $600 Dr bill for a routine office visit. Thus she is currently insurance "shopping". Any suggestions for good programs/companies?

 

Holly

 

M/S Boheme 11/69

Rhapsody 2/77?

Azure Sea 3/89

Panama Canal 11/90

Mexican Riviera 3/98

Carnival Triumph 12/99

Carnival Spirit 12/01

NCL Dream 11/17/02

Celebrity Mercury 6/1/03

carnival Victory 3/28/04

 

[gardencat]

Danno,

Don't know what it was like in North Bay yesterday but here in GTA it was so cold that I actually saw some Liberal politicians with their hands in their own pockets!!

[ABoatNerd]

Hello Everyone From ABoatNerd - I originated this topic.

 

The link to Cruise Critic is that everyone (US or Canadian) will have LESS $ to spend on discretionary items like cruising due to the rise of basic personal costs.

 

My husband and I will be required to pay $750 each (after tax which means we have to earn $1,214 before tax) which is confiscated by the Ontario Government off our paychecks. Since it will go into "consolidated revenue fund" there is no way to determine if it was ever used to "improve" health care (that is a different topic). Some dear American folks posts noted the significant rise in premiums for private health insurance. Either way there is less $ in the pocket of CC members.

 

We operate a very lean family (no cell, computer, internet, call waiting, cable etc) but we did eliminate everything else (2 newspapers, 4 magazines, 1 lawn care) - (now coffee is brought to work in thermos, no restaurant meals anymore, no movies etc) - The loss to the private sector is significant and Celebrity Cruise lines just lost a booking from us in 2004 - Since the $1,500 is almost 1 persons fare. I called my cruise travel agent and told her directly that the loss to her business is attributable to the Ontario Government Liberal party's new health tax. She was not pleased.

 

Everyone has forecast that cruise companies will boom in the future with the retirement of the baby boomer - but I wonder if that will actually occur. I am cutting back on vacation travel - so many others may as well.

 

So I will live my cruise through the travels of my fellow CC members.

 

Take care

 

ABoatNerd

[reader2]

Aren't we Canadians an apathetic group? Why not write your MPP and express your views. I did. Probably won't do much but at least I was able to vent. If every Canadian makes at least an effort to let our wonderful government know how Canadians feel perhaps they may (ha ha) do something to alleviate some of the tax burden (especially to seniors). I want to know how they plan on distributing the new tax premiums - which we never see. Why shouldn't the government be accountable to us Canadians as to where these funds are going not to even mention the GST which was supposedly to have been only in place for "X" number of years! Canadians are being taxed to death (yes even on our funerals)!

 

Do express your opinions to your MPP - at least you would be making known your opinions.

[Tatka]

Is dental care free in Canada?

 

I think medical insurance is ok here in US...For example we pay only $130 for family coverage a month(the rest my company pays).

 

Dental coverage is included but it's only $750 a year after $25 we pay. FYI 1 tooth with several root channels cost about $1000!!!

 

------------------------------

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI>Splendour of the Seas 05/15/04 Barcelona - Marseilles - Villefranche - Livorno - Chivitavecchia - Naples - Barcelona

<LI>Century 07/12/03 Eastern Caribbean FFL-San Juan - St. Thomas - St.Maarten- Nassau -FFL

<LI>Komarno(Volga)07/91 Moscow - Astrahan' - Moscow (honeymoon)

<LI>Komarno(Volga)07/90 Moscow - Astrahan'- Moscow

<LI>Admiral Nachimov(or Nakhimov) (Black Sea)04/1986 Odessa - Batum

 

GO BRUINS!!!!

[YOW]

Just to play devil's advocate for a moment (and bear in mind I'm no happier about this than anyone)...

 

(1) The tax is effective 1 July 2004, so ABoatnerd in your category the additional outlay for this year will be $375 per person = $750 total (plus some extras, see below).

 

(2) If you and your husband are paying $750 each, does this not mean -- and perhaps we're going into a gray area in discussing this -- that your combined taxable income is in excess of C$144,000? Now granted, Toronto is an expensive city, tops in Canada in terms of cost of living. And with less job security these days, we're all cutting back. Having said this, isn't cruising, travel -- heck life itself -- about setting prioroties?

 

Not to stay on the soap box too long, but... my wife and I live to travel. To do this, we cut back on eating out, other entertainment expenses; we have one car between us; and we always shop for deals. When we travel, we don't go first class; we search for the deals (hotels on priceline, etc); we'll drive an extra ways instead of flying. When we cruise, we get an inside cabin at the lowest possible price. The additional outlay due to McGinty's new premium won't help us, probably not in the short term anyway, but I still don't see it changing our lifestyle that much, at least not in terms of travel.

 

If you're cutting out cruising, right away you've freed enough cash to pay your premiums and have money left over for other expenditures. Hopefully you'll find a way to prioritise and come back to the joy of cruising.

 

and Tatka, no, dental care is not free here, and in the new budget Ontario are also eliminating such things as routine eye exams (they used to pay for one every 2 years).

[clio]

Dear US Friends,

 

If you think health insurance is expensive now, wait 'til it's "free!"

[Danno]

Just to set WOOD straight..the wait times etc. tend to be a fiction put forth by your medical lobby to make sure the gravy train in the US never ends. While ours is far from a perfect system it is still far superior to the US model.

 

Example...both my parents were diagnosed with operable cancer on a Monday...in hospital on Wednesday, surgery Thursday. Three years later they are both in good health.

 

I have no problem with what I pay for health care. What I have a problem with is the enormous costs we incure due waste in our system. Just think the good we could do if the money was well spent.

 

But it's now federal election time here, so according to the promises I'm hearing everything in this great country should be PERFECT in about six months!!

 

Dan

 

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

 

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04

Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

 

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[YOW]

waste, Danno? what waste?

 

Hell, I feed at that trough and I wouldn't ming seeing it dry up a bit. A billion here, a billion there... it adds up eh?!

 

And btw people in the States do pay for health care. Corporations that do provide medical for their employees (and multi-million dollar bonuses for top mgmt... sorry had to throw that in) aren't going eat those costs, are they? In the end, the consumer always pays.

[Danno]

I guess what I wouldn't change is... in our system, out of work, poor health, at school, you are covered. Frankly I wouldn't trust ANY insurance company, in any specialty, to honor what they took money for. I really wouldn't want to trust my health care to this pack of criminals...yes, even slimier than politicians.

 

Dan

 

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

 

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04

Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

 

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[SB_Travlr]

Had to chime in with my 2 cents. Disclaimer: I grew up in England, with the National Health Service. Now I live in the US, and work for a health insurance company.

 

Many folks in the US don't realize that the cost to them of their health insurance depends to a great extent on their employer, not the insurer. All the insurers have to offer competitive rates, or they'll be out of business. As an employee of this particular insurer, I know that I pay significantly more for a prescription copay than do many of our clients' employees. The employer controls that, not the insurer. Health insurance costs DH and me plenty -- but what choice do you have, given the current setup?

 

And let's not even start on the issue of what happens if you get laid off from your job, or want to start a small business, or work for a mom & pop biz that can't afford to offer insurance... Canada's system is not perfect, no-one's is, but at least you know you WILL always have coverage.

 

Okay, I'll stop now.

[nealberk]

"Taxes are never made for the benefit of those who are taxed"

 

Example- Here in the States our federal congressmen, Supreme Court Justices, and President are exempt from Social Security taxes that everyone else is BY LAW required to pay. Guess who made up this law? Guess they see it for what it is really worth.

[ladysail2]

nealberk...sometimes ignorance is bliss..as the saying goes.

Guess who have the best pensions in this country..yup, the politicians! They gave it to themselves. What I'd give to be a political Senator (not the NHL-type Senator) just for the salaries, perks, bonuses, pension...believe me I can be bought! I'm not trying to say that they don't work hard, but so do alot of people who don't enjoy the benefits that they have voted for themselves.

 

I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

In spite of having to pay a Health Premium, again, (we used to years ago), I will cut some other part of my spending to continue to cruise. I don't need to eat all those chips and pizzas anyway! Or, maybe I'll be appointed to the Senate.....