Thursday, April 03, 2008

Motions I would take more seriously if proposed by anyone but Pat Martin

I guess it’s fitting that a senseless MP wants to leave Canada cent-less. As for his proposal to scrap the penny, there’s a certain logic to it, and inflation makes the penny’s demise is inevitable. So I think I’m down with this.

As an aside, I’d love to see an election fought over this burning issue, but that’s just me.

I’m curious what others think? A penny for your thoughts.

posted by calgarygrit at 7:35 p.m.

19 Comments:

  • I had to chuckle about your "senseless" and "cent-less" comment. I heard Pat Martin is off his meds.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:43 p.m.  

  • Get rid of them. Even on a student budget I havent been bothered to roll all the pennies I've collected in a jar over the last couple years. Best case scenario I would get $10 for my effort.

    By Blogger KC, at 8:01 p.m.  

  • I don't think inflation is inevitable. Things could still be priced $19.99 or $90.67. The adjustment would be made after all of the items are added together plus taxes. So if after taxes the total was 80.17, then it would be $80.15

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:11 p.m.  

  • My solution is to replace the penny with the three cent piece.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:22 p.m.  

  • Both Australia and New Zealand got rid of their respective 1 cent coins without adverse effects. As a "money Bill" wouldn't any legislation dealing with phasing out the penny be automatically considered a confidence motion?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:57 p.m.  

  • Pennies help out with a combined Ontario tax of 8% and the GST which us 13 cents. on a dollar it is curently $1.13, but the nearst without pennies, it would be $1.15, same as it was before the GST was cut. I may be wrong.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:39 p.m.  

  • Penny hoarders: many supermarkets have machines that count change and give you a receipt that can be exchanged for purchases or cash.

    Yes, they charge something like 10% for it, but nine bucks in the hand beats 10 bucks in a jar. No sorting, no rolling.

    My other solution is that I simply avoid using cash whenever possible.

    As far as I'm concerned the nickel and dime can join the penny.

    By Blogger Reality Bites, at 11:00 p.m.  

  • if I had a nickel for every time Pat Martin made some stupid publicity stunt, we would have to get rid of the nickel too...

    By Blogger Anthony, at 11:40 p.m.  

  • see i for sure thought you were going to say "The NDP wants to leave Canada penny-less"

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:40 p.m.  

  • Down with pennies, nickels, and dimes! Long live quarters!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:24 a.m.  

  • Doesn't this Pat Martin has somethign better to do with his time than to come up with a ridiculous idea that will result in more price inflation?

    By Blogger John Murney , at 2:46 a.m.  

  • I'm personally all for getting rid of the penny (cute though it is), but the strong reaction I generally get from mentioning it has always suggested to me that governments should, for now, keep it. Most people get really upset at the idea that everything will be rounded up to the next nickel, and seem to feel that it would cost them hundreds of dollars a year.


    On another note... ATM fees and scrapping the penny - is this really the best MPs can come up with? At this time of concern over global warming and potential recessions and warfare and all, I mean.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:37 a.m.  

  • "The NDP wants to leave Canada penny-less"

    Ohhh, that's a good one!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:38 a.m.  

  • Wow - "time to deal with global warming, recession and warfare" - I would certainly agree. Maybe the Liberal caucus should stop sitting on their hands at every vote and propping up the Cons. Oh that's right, according to Paul Wells (and a growing number of Canadians) the Liberal Caucus is currently in coalition with the CPC.
    ATM fees, payday loan outfits these are real concerns for low and middle income Canadians. Sorry to disappoint but the NDP will keep working to make life easier for Canadians WHILE doing their job and opposing the Conservatives on issues like fighting global warming, the war in Afghanistan, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 10:56 a.m.  

  • Keep the penny and scrap last weeks $4600.00 pay hike for this useless bunch.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:13 a.m.  

  • Honestly, people can't see that for every rounding up there is a corresponding rounding down. Net cost to Canadians = 0.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:18 p.m.  

  • This would be pennywise.

    By Blogger Mike B., at 12:21 p.m.  

  • 1. We can take the roughly $130 million we would save by scrapping the penny and invest it in some of the more "worthwhile" causes that people are complaining the government should be focusing on.

    2. Have people forgotten their grade four math and how rounding works? Things get rounded up and down. Prices of $1.13 would become $1.15; prices of $1.12 would become $1.10.

    The penny's greatest effect on the economy is in the cost of their production. We've scrapped much more worthwhile things to save a few bucks. Get rid of them.

    By Blogger Matthew, at 11:16 a.m.  

  • Why would I feel SO STRONGLY that pennies are a polluting nuisance?

    Simple. I own a metal detector.

    Looking forward to the three dollar coin, and a five dollar coin would make all metal scanner owners very happy.

    Coppers, on the other hand are not worth picking up. = TG

    By Blogger TonyGuitar, at 2:59 p.m.  

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