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Comment by plehoux | Hacker News Reader

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

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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?

The government only (at least in Québec).

Aka the other Canadian provinces.

QPIP is deducted directly from Québec's employees salary at the source, so no, not in this case :)

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So why stop at 75% for maternity leave? Why not 100%? Or even 200% of your original salary? It’s for families and kids right? Why not double subsidize it?

You claim it’s a bargain. At what tax rate is it a bargain? 5% increased tax rate? 10%? 25%? 50%?

Specifics matter. Make your case with an actual proposal. Claiming I’m heartless because I don’t want others to spend my money is hardly an argument.

Do you know any coyotes that can smuggle Californians in?

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.

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.

Ask the moose

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

18 months now! :D

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