Say ‘middle income,’ not ‘middle class’

To: The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, The Hon. Rona Ambrose, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, The Hon. Thomas Mulcair, Leader of the NDP and The Hon. Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party

Prior to – and after – the presentation of the federal budget, I have been constantly frustrated as a former reporter (46 years reporting in both Canada and the U.S.), to hear you all use the term “Middle Class” incorrectly. If you know the English language - and you should, as national communicators - you should be aware the term you should be using is “middle Income.”

“Class” is a societal distinction based upon quality – and does not, necessarily, make any reference to a person’s financial position. For a hundred or more years now, the English language has used the terms, “lower,” “middle” and “upper class” to identify to which stratum of society they have been assigned generally and/ or mutually by their peers.

“Income,” on the other hand, simply defines one’s financial position – and it is this position, that the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, professes to wish to improve – suggesting that, those striving to survive on middle incomes are suffering from exorbitant taxation or other social pressures which deprive them of the right to a full enjoyment of life.

A demonstration: President Donald Trump is very wealthy but, one is hard-pressed to assign him to the level of “upper class,” which would indicate or imply, that he is generally accepted and perceived to be of high ethical, honourable and moral standards in the understanding of a majority of his peers – or the citizens of his country.

On the other hand, a poor man or woman – known by all as one who genuinely cares about and tries – to the best of his or her ability to ameliorate the condition of those in dire financial, health, or living circumstances, might well be accepted and assigned the appellation “middle class,” by virtue of his or her ongoing concern for and continuous attempts to improve the life styles of others without any thought of self-aggrandizement.

Please quit using “middle class” and commence using the proper term to describe your intentions by speaking of those in the “middle income” bracket.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my request.

May God richly bless you and everyone you cherish and, may your lives daily bring a blessing to those who feel nobody cares.

Yours for honour, integrity and the promotion of virtue, Bruce Anderson Humber Rd.