This is a letter submitted by Michael Baldock, Riding Director for the People’s Party of Canada in the South- Shore Riding, Nova Scotia
The Desperation of Pork Barreling
Are your tax dollars Working for You?
Most in the media are trumpeting the announcement of massive investment in the Bridgewater, Waterville and New Glasgow Michelin Plants on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 as a win for all. Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau, Premier Tim Houston and Alexis Garcin, the CEO and president of Michelin North
America, stood side by side spouting the usual catch phrases: Jobs, Electric Vehicles, and Climate
Change; but this may not be a win for all. We need to put a little context and thought into this
announcement.
Two of the three plants are in Conservative-held ridings. Consider the investment strategy: Who
is paying for this? And most importantly: Why now?
Now let’s examine the investments to the Bridgewater location: Michelin has pledged $140
million, Trudeau has pledged another $44.3 million, and Tim Houston has pledged $61.3 million in tax
credits to be divided among all three Michelin plants; this with the promise of a possible 70 new jobs. If
we break down the cost per job (assuming the tax credits are divided equally among the three plants), we
arrive at a conservative estimate of $2.9 million per job. Michelin receives 20% of their total investment in
return from provincial tax credits; when was the last time the government did that for you? Your provincial
tax dollars are paying over $290,000 per possible new job (Bridgewater).
Let’s be clear, we need investment in industry and infrastructure to continue to grow our economy
and jobs. But what we need is intelligent investment that is not directed toward pork barreling and vote
buying. Consider the cost of these proposed possible jobs. Where could we be spending our money
more responsibly? Nova Scotia Health announced recently that there is now more than 130,000 Nova
Scotians without a family doctor, more than 13% of the population.
Before you jump up to thank Justin Trudeau, Tim Houston and Michelin, consider who’s getting
their backs scratched; it certainly isn’t hard-working Nova Scotians striving to get ahead.
*Data based on best available at the time, focused on Bridgewater.
A message from the People’s Party of Canada in Nova Scotia.
Michael Baldock, South Shore Riding Director
*The Letter may be downloaded below in full format, by clicking download link.
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