200k is rich? Not in Toronto and certainly not as a family income in Toronto. The bottom line is that governments must skin the middle class. They are the most numerous and the least to defend themselves. The real rich are few and can afford professional tax strategies and the poor are the poor. The lower middle class and the middle middle class are the ones paying for everything. And judging by their electoral choices, they're happy to pay in return for the "safety net". Of course no safety net is worth 50% of income, but we'll  keep that a secret.