Hopeful messages from young people

I’m not usually an effusive person but I feel compelled to share how much I was inspired by the 2017 Symon’s Lecture event at our Confederation Centre of the Arts on November 23. The highlight, of course, was the Dream Catcher performance by the Centre’s Young Company.

I had enjoyed this powerful dance/musical presentation twice during the summer when I proudly shared it with family visitors from Scotland, but on the Homburg main stage, on the occasion of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s acceptance of this year’s Symon’s Medal, its messages of inclusion and tolerance and optimism, and its celebration of our young people and our country, felt more potent than ever.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in this perfectly organized event. It filled me with hope and happiness on a bitterly cold November day.

Anne McCallum,

Hazel Grove vile act passed by any government in the Island’s history.

It gives us another layer of bureaucrats, red tape, rules, regulations and increased taxes - all yet to be decided. It is the thin edge of the wedge.

It strips rural Islanders of all their democratic rights and places all decisions in the hands of the newly-formed community council . . . for a four-year term. We cannot control them, we cannot fire them. They set their own salary and benefits. They will decide your future. What you can and cannot do on your property.

We are an Island of approximately 150,000 souls. We are already over governed and over taxed. We do not require more of the same. This Act also allows the province to download services such as Emergency Measures to the communities. Higher taxes. This act must be rescinded. Call your MLA or Premier Wade MacLauchlan’s office and tell them to stop this Act or you will not give them your vote next time. Do it today. While you still have a voice and a vote.

Paul Smitz,

Brookvale eliminating income sprinkling, which allows incorporated small businesses to shift income to family members who don’t necessarily work for them. By doing this, the money they earn and shift to family members may be taxed at a much lower rate, as small business taxes are much higher then personal tax rates.

Currently, the provincial small business tax rate is the second highest in the country but the recent change that is being proposed will make it even more difficult for small business owners to thrive. It will cause more local businesses to shut their doors.

There are over 6,200 small businesses in Prince Edward Island, which accounts for 98.4 per cent of all businesses in the province. They not only help employ the young people of the community, but are also the ones who sponsor most local events.

I feel the new tax proposal is unfair to small business owners who work day and night and who have dedicated their lives to their business. This tax proposal is targeting the wealthy although it is the small business owners who will be significantly worse off as a result. Tyler Mitton,

UPEI student