How refreshing to hear President Obama announce a new tax targeted at millionaires.

It has been a long time coming.

On tax, Obama has been afraid of his own shadow.

But now, emboldened by the stratospherically wealthy Warren Buffett, the President has decided to go for broke and make the special tax – to be called the Buffett Rule – the centre piece of his new strategy to rein in America’s soaraway debt.

Buffett complained that the US Government was “coddling” the super rich, confessing his embarrassment at paying only 17.4% of his investment income in taxes in 2010 when his employees were paying 36% tax on their salaries.

Why is it that so many governments have been so timid in getting the wealthy to pay their fair share?

Is there a British Warren Buffett out there?

The NDP - on a roll

Here in Canada, the growing gap between the wealthy and the rest is finally getting noticed.

The left leaning NDP in its manifesto for the Ontario provincial election on October 6 tells voters: 

if you’re one of Canada’s top 100 CEOs you collected more pay by January 3^rd at 3pm than the average person earns in a year.

It is a great line and I use it to some effect when I am out canvassing for the local NDP candidate in Newmarket/Aurora, the excellent Robin Wardlaw.

The sun is shining and the sky is blue. I am wearing my bright orange NDP T shirt, ready to face the world.

I approach my first voter who is standing outside his house, staring fixedly at the grass and drawing deeply on a cigarette. He glances up at me.

Before I utter a word he accuses me of coming to ruin his Sunday.

Long years of experience kick in.

I tell him it’s a beautiful day and, with a smile, move on.

Apart from this, the reception is positive and friendly. There is a huge ground swell of support for the NDP whose policies strike a chord with a growing number of Canadians.

Under the leadership of the late Jack Layton, who tragically died in August age 61 after a battle with cancer, the NDP pole vaulted over the ossified Liberals to become the Official Opposition in the federal Parliament in Ottawa.

In the space of ten years, support for the Liberals in Ontario has drained away.

The pundits and pollsters who failed to predict the spectacular NDP breakthrough in this year’s Federal Election will be keeping a closer eye on the Party this time around.

Cameron to speak to the Canadian Parliament

David Cameron will address a special joint meeting of both Houses of the Canadian Parliament on Thursday, 22 September.

There will be warm words for his Canadian counterpart, Stephen Harper, who now has the majority Conservative Government he long craved.

And I am sure Cameron will pay a generous tribute to Jack Layton who did so much to change the Canadian political landscape.