Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Odd Fact of the Day


More than 2,300 corner stores - six a day, or about 10 per cent of the total number of locations across Canada - closed last year, with contraband tobacco sales siphoning off more than $2.5-billion in sales and $260-million in profits during that time, according to a study released yesterday by the Canadian Convenience Stores Association.

Now, that's inconvenient.

It's also a prime example of The Law of Unintended Consequences.

The government in its endless wisdom keeps adding tax to the retail price of cigarettes.

The goal is twofold: Get more revenue and discourage smokers from smoking.

Ha!

Real result in the real world populated by ordinary folk?

The enormous rise of criminal enterprise, tax money being siphoned off into illegal activities and smokers smoking as much if not more than ever.

Brilliant!

3 comments:

Evil Eye said...

Ha, ha, ha.

It Goes further than cigs, David. The "Eye" and the rest of the 'evils' live close to the US boarder, so every time the family chariot needs a fill, South we go.

SAVINGS $20 to $30 depending on the cost of gas.

Now when in the good old US of A, we stop at the local grocery store and see what specials (no duty) can be had. Now at night, our American friends like empty shelves and deep discount everything, so off to shopping we go.

SAVINGS $50 to $60

Total savings $70 to $90 a week!

Now Mrs Evil has a sister who live not far from the 49th; so every month or so, off she goes for the weekend to visit relatives and Costco, Target & Wallmart.

Total Savings: $100 or more.

Thus by shopping in the states we save about $350 to $450 a month.

The sad thing is, if we could not save money by shopping in the USA, we could not afford school extras or our kids to play sports.

NO PLACE LIKE IT!

Anonymous said...

I guess there is a penalty to be paid for those of us living in the Interior and Northern BC...no US border, no Alberta border.

We'll be the ones paying for all those living in the "right" places, as well as the filth occupying our legislature daily.

Fun, fun.

Anonymous said...

just blowing smoke?