Каморка

не хомячок:

Premier Ed Stelmach broke ranks with some of his senior Cabinet ministers yesterday, declaring he will never increase taxes to help the government escape from its multibillion-dollar deficits and deepening fiscal hole.

One day after some of his most trusted ministers said both tax hikes and program cuts are needed to redress the province's revenue crunch, Mr. Stelmach said his government won't hike personal or corporate taxes and vowed never adopt a provincial sales tax.

The Premier also rescinded the recent liquor tax increase -- the first mark-up since 2002 -- announced in the April budget, with the changes expected to be reflected on liquor store shelves by the weekend. Eliminating the levy should save consumers $2.85 on a 750-millilitre bottle of spirits, $1.30 on a 12-pack of beer and up to 75 cents for wine.

"As long as I'm Premier of this province, there will be no tax increases. Simple. That's a very clear message I sent to Cabinet, a very clear message to my caucus," Mr. Stelmach told reporters at a news conference in Calgary yesterday.

"You cannot tax your way out of a recession, and we're not going to do that," he added.

Харпер тоже не хомячок:

The Prime Minister is speaking at a Group of Eight Summit press conference with Canadian and international journalists, and in response to a question about the deficit he referred to plans to raise taxes or cut spending to get out of deficit as "dumb."

He also took a swipe at parliamentary budget officer, Kevin Page, who suggested a GST hike might be in order, suggesting his office's position was also "dumb."

And he also managed to squeeze in a response to Wafergate:

"First of all, as a Christian I've never refused communion when it's been offered to me." And suggested the stories, like ours, that raised the question if he pocketed the wafer "I feel like this is a low point, a low moment in journalism. Just a terrible story, and ridiculous."

Но зато местечковые длинношерстые хомячки в провинциях (исключая AB) и ниже полностью, даже с большим перебором, нейтрализуют его.