Over‐​Taxed Canadians

Having just survived tax day, Americans may not be in the mood to feel lucky, but at least they should be thankful they do not live in Canada. According to a new report from the Fraser Institute, the average Canadian family is paying 45 percent of its income to the government. Since medieval serfs only paid a third of their income to the Lord of the Manor, Canadian taxpayers need an old‐​fashioned tax revolt. The National Post reports on the new study:

Taxes are eating into Canadians’ incomes more than ever, costing the average family more than food, clothing and housing combined, suggests a new survey. … The average Canadian family earned $63,001 in 2006 and paid taxes equalling $28,311, almost 45 per cent of its income, while spending 35.6 per cent of its income on food, clothing and housing. According to the institute, 45 years ago that same family earned $5,000 and paid $1,675, or 33.5 per cent of its total income, in taxes. In 1961, the average family spent 56.5 per cent of its income on the necessities of life.