Trimming Government Fat

This story caught my eye, if only because it was one of the policies debated, and defeated on the final day at the Liberal convention last weekend.

This is the type of thing I’ve been in favour of for a long time. I really believe the tax code should be modified to reward healthy and environmentally sound choices and to punish poor ones. But after listening to the debate on the topic, I’m now firmly against tax breaks for gym memberships. Why? Because it would amount to nothing more than a tax break for rich, white people. Let’s face it, how many low income single mothers buy gym memberships? The best exercise can sometimes be a jog around the block (or, from my personal experience, running away from a mob of angry gun owners who’ve spotted that Liberal sign on your front lawn).

A fairer way to go about things would be to bring in a “fat tax”. Tax junk foods, fast foods, and fatty/unhealthy foods. I think this is a far better solution than rewarding those who (somewhat ironically) drive across town twice a week in January to walk on a treadmill for an hour.