8 ms·

Quebec, Canada == free + 1 year maternity leave at 75% of your salary + a lot $$ by both Quebec province and federal governments.

koolba 9y ago
Who pays the 75% salary when you're not working? Does it come from the company you were employed at, the government, or some combo?
- Voloskaya 9y ago
  The government only (at least in Québec).
  - maehwasu 9y ago
    Aka the other Canadian provinces.
    - Voloskaya 9y ago
      QPIP is deducted directly from Québec's employees salary at the source, so no, not in this case :)
- LeifCarrotson 9y ago
  You do, through taxes, but would you rather pay lower taxes for fewer benefits and more aircraft carriers in the US, or more taxes for huge benefits like maternity leave and education?
  - koolba 9y ago
    Speaking selfishly, I can’t get pregnant and primary education is primarily funded by local property taxes so I’m for the lower overall taxes.
    - Voloskaya 9y ago
      In most countries where there is paid maternity leave, there is also government pension for retirement that is founded by the active population. So everyone benefits from people having kids, even if it's not your kid, because in the end you need them to pay for your pension.
    - toomuchtodo 9y ago
      That’s the crux of the problem. If you speak selfishly without looking at the big picture, you can’t make a rational decision at scale.
      - koolba 9y ago
        The decisions are still rational, we're just optimizing a different variable. In my view the majority of the money I give the government gets squandered and I have no realistic expectation of getting back anything close to what I've contributed to social security. By that standard if someone suggests raising taxes further to increase the amount of money in the equation I'd be firmly against it. The problem with our government is that it doesn't collect enough taxes, it's that it doesn't spend the money it collects wisely. We're getting off topic from the original article though. If this was a conversation about something like a single payer system it'd be apt (and I'd be for it as well!) but (chronically underfunded) pensions are an entirely separate topic.
        deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
        rektide 9y ago
        I'd think most people would realize that having a society raised by loving, caring, well-adapted parents would pay off in the long run. I certainly think it would be in my best interest to have my future fellow peers raised well. Now, maybe you REALLY want to stare into the void and declare that the decisions made now won't affect your life, won't change your peers. I guess that's your right, but that's not how my societal calculus functions. To me, this is a bargain for maintaining an upright, well functioning, positive society.
odammit 9y ago
Do you know any coyotes that can smuggle Californians in?
- corpMaverick 9y ago
  We are going to build a beautiful wall. More seriously. I am hopeful that a single payer system or similar starts in California, or may be Massachusetts.
  - odammit 9y ago
    I’ll have to get a boat then. I’m lucky my wife has Kaiser through the CA school system so our kids will be cheap. It sucks for people that aren’t as lucky. If we would have used my insurance we would have to spend a Honda Civic. Maybe even a pre-owned Accord.
- forgot-my-pw 9y ago
  Ask the moose
PeptoKelpto 9y ago
18 months now! :D
sanmon3186 9y ago
So what stops Americans who can’t afford, to cross the border for delivery or cheaper healthcare.

koolba 9y ago

Who pays the 75% salary when you're not working? Does it come from the company you were employed at, the government, or some combo?

Voloskaya 9y ago
The government only (at least in Québec).
- maehwasu 9y ago
  Aka the other Canadian provinces.
  - Voloskaya 9y ago
    QPIP is deducted directly from Québec's employees salary at the source, so no, not in this case :)
LeifCarrotson 9y ago
You do, through taxes, but would you rather pay lower taxes for fewer benefits and more aircraft carriers in the US, or more taxes for huge benefits like maternity leave and education?
- koolba 9y ago
  Speaking selfishly, I can’t get pregnant and primary education is primarily funded by local property taxes so I’m for the lower overall taxes.
  - Voloskaya 9y ago
    In most countries where there is paid maternity leave, there is also government pension for retirement that is founded by the active population. So everyone benefits from people having kids, even if it's not your kid, because in the end you need them to pay for your pension.
  - toomuchtodo 9y ago
    That’s the crux of the problem. If you speak selfishly without looking at the big picture, you can’t make a rational decision at scale.
    - koolba 9y ago
      The decisions are still rational, we're just optimizing a different variable. In my view the majority of the money I give the government gets squandered and I have no realistic expectation of getting back anything close to what I've contributed to social security. By that standard if someone suggests raising taxes further to increase the amount of money in the equation I'd be firmly against it. The problem with our government is that it doesn't collect enough taxes, it's that it doesn't spend the money it collects wisely. We're getting off topic from the original article though. If this was a conversation about something like a single payer system it'd be apt (and I'd be for it as well!) but (chronically underfunded) pensions are an entirely separate topic.
      - deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
      - rektide 9y ago
        I'd think most people would realize that having a society raised by loving, caring, well-adapted parents would pay off in the long run. I certainly think it would be in my best interest to have my future fellow peers raised well. Now, maybe you REALLY want to stare into the void and declare that the decisions made now won't affect your life, won't change your peers. I guess that's your right, but that's not how my societal calculus functions. To me, this is a bargain for maintaining an upright, well functioning, positive society.

odammit 9y ago

Do you know any coyotes that can smuggle Californians in?

corpMaverick 9y ago
We are going to build a beautiful wall. More seriously. I am hopeful that a single payer system or similar starts in California, or may be Massachusetts.
- odammit 9y ago
  I’ll have to get a boat then. I’m lucky my wife has Kaiser through the CA school system so our kids will be cheap. It sucks for people that aren’t as lucky. If we would have used my insurance we would have to spend a Honda Civic. Maybe even a pre-owned Accord.
forgot-my-pw 9y ago
Ask the moose

PeptoKelpto 9y ago

18 months now! :D

sanmon3186 9y ago

So what stops Americans who can’t afford, to cross the border for delivery or cheaper healthcare.