| Improving the Mental Health System | | | | $5.25. When the numbers are calculated, this figures |
| According to a news release that was dated May 9, | | | | out to be 5% more than Pete would have spent |
| 2006, the "Standing Senate Committee On Social | | | | before the proposed tax increase. The point: since the |
| Affairs, Science and Technology" in Canada | | | | proposed price increase affects higher-alcohol |
| recommended the creation of a Canadian Mental | | | | products (such as shots) proportionately less than their |
| Health Commission that will be responsible for | | | | lower-alcohol counterparts (such as beer), why would |
| significantly upgrading the Canadian mental health | | | | Canadians switch to lower-alcohol products? |
| system. As stated by Senator Michael Kirby, the Chair | | | | Alcohol and Mental Health |
| of the Committee, "The Senate Committee is | | | | Another question. What if tens of thousands of |
| committed to improving the range, quality and | | | | Canadians, realizing that drinking alcohol is not good for |
| organization of health and support services that are | | | | their "mental health," significantly reduce their alcohol |
| required by the tens of thousands of Canadians who | | | | intake or quit drinking alcoholic beverages altogether? |
| are living with mental illnesses and addictions." | | | | Where will the money come from to offset this lack of |
| Funding The Proposed Change | | | | revenue? In a similar manner, what if thousands upon |
| Based on an extensive three-year study on mental | | | | thousands of Canadians who drink alcoholic |
| health and addiction, the Committee determined that it | | | | beverages decide that they don't want to pay the |
| will cost $5.36 billion over a 10-year period for this | | | | extra excise tax and, as a result, stop drinking alcoholic |
| mental health system upgrade. Where will these funds | | | | beverages? If this happens, where will the government |
| come from? According to the Committee, the revenue | | | | get the money needed to transform the mental health |
| will come from raising the excise tax on alcoholic | | | | system? In other words, does the Canadian |
| drinks by 5 cents per drink. | | | | government have a realistic "plan B" for this major |
| Part of the rationale for the 5-cent increase per drink | | | | transformation? |
| was obviously the goal of raising the needed funds for | | | | A Logical Contradiction |
| the proposed changes in the mental health system. | | | | From a different perspective, isn't it rather ironic that |
| Another justifying factor for the price increase, | | | | those who drink alcoholic beverages will pay for the |
| however, was the fact that since each alcoholic drink | | | | revamped mental health system? Isn't there a |
| will cost more, Canadians will be more inclined to drink | | | | contradiction in logic somewhere in this proposal? |
| lower-alcohol products such as beer and wine instead | | | | Stated differently, if tens of thousands of Canadians |
| of liquor. | | | | have mental illnesses or are addicted to alcohol or |
| Let's Do the Math | | | | drugs, wouldn't the government want Canadians to |
| At first glance, this proposal seems to make sense. | | | | drink LESS alcohol in order to reduce the existing |
| Why shouldn't those who drink help finance a program | | | | alcohol abuse, alcoholism, and alcohol-related mental |
| that will provide them with a better mental health | | | | health problems? Yet according to the current mental |
| system? Why not let those who are part of the | | | | health proposal, from strictly a financial standpoint, it |
| "problem" become part of the "solution"? This logic | | | | would appear that the Canadian government is |
| seems sound until you do the math. If $5.36 billion is | | | | banking the entire mental health system upgrade on |
| needed to help finance the upgraded mental health | | | | historical data that strongly suggests that Canadians |
| system, then how many drinks will have to be | | | | will continue to drink at their current or even higher |
| consumed in a ten-year period to reach $5.36 billion | | | | levels of consumption. |
| dollars? The answer: 107,200,000,000 drinks. That's 107 | | | | Budgetary Miscalculations |
| billion, 200 million drinks. | | | | What happens, for instance, if there are cost overruns |
| To arrive at how many drinks this is per year, all we | | | | in the proposed mental health system? There are, of |
| have to do is divide this number by 10 (for the ten-year | | | | course, two "easy" solutions to this problem: increase |
| program) and the result is 10,720,000,000. This is still a | | | | the excise tax on each drink or motivate Canadians to |
| huge number that fortunately can be "massaged" | | | | drink even more alcoholic beverages. Either "solution," |
| even more. According to The World Factbook | | | | however, is predicated on the fact that in order to |
| website, the population of Canada was estimated to | | | | "work," the upgraded mental health system needs to |
| be 33 million people in 2006. Dividing 10,720,000,000 by | | | | be funded by Canadians who continue to drink |
| 33,000,000 equals 325. Putting this in terms that the | | | | alcoholic beverages. |
| average person can understand, every man, woman, | | | | Conclusion |
| and child in Canada will have to consume 325 alcoholic | | | | It appears logical to conclude that the Canadian mental |
| drinks per year for the next ten years to finance the | | | | health system is in need of a major overhaul. As with |
| new mental health system! Simply put, these numbers | | | | most comprehensive government programs, however, |
| are not realistic. | | | | the issue of funding becomes a major obstacle to |
| More Flaws | | | | overcome. The proposed Canadian mental health |
| The "logic" of this proposed mental health program | | | | system upgrade is no exception. Based on the |
| also breaks down when it is examined more deeply. | | | | reasons given above, it seems obvious that the |
| For instance, why would people drink lower-alcohol | | | | Canadian government needs to come up with |
| products such as beer if the increased excise tax | | | | alternate sources of revenue generation for this |
| applies to all alcoholic drinks? To help understand this | | | | worthwhile project. Indeed, to point out one of the |
| better, let's use an example. Let's say that the | | | | major "flaws" in the current proposal, consider the |
| average shot in Canada currently costs $3.00 and the | | | | following question: When is more drinking a "good |
| average beer costs $1.00. Based on the proposed | | | | thing?" Answer: when it finances a nationwide mental |
| price increase, if Joe drinks an average of 5 shots per | | | | health system upgrade. Something tells me that Andy |
| week, his weekly average alcohol expenditure will be | | | | Rooney from "60 Minutes" would have a lot of fun |
| $15.25. When the numbers are calculated, this figures | | | | with this. |
| out to be 1.7% more than Joe would have spent | | | | Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved |
| before the proposed tax increase. Let's do a similar | | | | Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article |
| exercise with beer. Based on the projected price | | | | as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit |
| increase, if Pete drinks an average of 5 beers per | | | | the article in any way, and give the author credit. |
| week, his weekly average alcohol expenditure will be | | | | |