中英对照：无资格领取政府 救济金的高薪阶层是渥京大手笔救援计划的最大赢家

 

 

联邦政府大手笔发放包括紧急救济金和追加福利补贴在内的疫情救济金在华裔社区引发争议。一些有稳定工作，不符合领取救援标准的人士对政府这种大手笔的慷慨举动很看不顺眼，抱怨说作为高薪阶层他们终将为这些与自己好处不沾边的福利政策买单。但这些人却在这一点上看走了眼。事实上，那些手头宽裕，收入稳定者从政府的福利金发配中所获得的好处要远远大于那些直接领取支票者。

 

Ottawa's financial pandemic relief programs –including CERB and the new emergency benefits -- have sparked controversy in the Chinese community.  Some individuals with secure jobs and not eligible for the aid packages frown upon the government's actions of doling out cash handsomely, complaining that they, as stable income earners,   will eventually be on the hook for Ottawa's massive spending that provides no benefit to them. In fact, contrary to their beliefs, the well-heeled individuals making a secure income have gained much more from the government's handouts than the direct recipients.

这一救援计划 不仅为那些在疫情危机中遭到经济重创的加国人士提供了保护，它还对加国经济起到重大积极作用。救援基金阻止了工作机会的丧失，为低收入人士提供保障，从而有效地维护了消费者信心，使失业率保持稳定，并阻止加国经济进入衰退。更重要的是，救援计划所创造的良好经济环境为富足人士进一步扩充钱袋子铺平了道路。

 

The relief program has not only worked to protect the wellbeing of Canadians hard hit by COVID-19 but also exerted a significant positive impact on the Canadian economy. Preventing further job losses and supporting low-income earners, the relief fund has helped maintain consumer confidence, keep the unemployment rate at bay, and beat a looming recession. Moreover, it has created a better economic environment that paved the path for the well-to-do to grow their wealth and assets.

 

这些提供给低收入人士的救济金还有助于维护房屋租赁市场的稳定，给有钱房主们的投资支出提供了保障。同时，由于大笔资金塞入老百姓腰包，加国央行降低利率以刺激消费，房屋贷款利率随之下降。低房贷利率让房市蓬勃发展并呈现惊人繁荣，吸引大批买家入市从而使房价频创新高。因此，政府的救援基金给房产主们带来了福音及可观的财产增长。

 

The relief money sent to the low-income people has helped maintain a healthy rental market, allowing the rich landlords to cover their investment costs. Meanwhile, with the massive relief fund distributed to Canadian households, the central bank has lowered the interest rate to encourage spending.  The low mortgage rate has fueled the real estate market's spectacular growth, drawing in homebuyers in droves and sending the home prices skyrocketing. A booming housing market has brought significant additional assets to homeowners' hands.

 

加国政府的救济金还给股市投资者们带来信心。它扭转了股市颓势，让股票价格一跃升至疫情之前的水平。在加国由最富裕的1%家庭掌控了25%之财富的股票市场，其主导势力当然是囊中满满的有钱人士，而救济金发放后股价的攀升和反弹给这些富得流油的股票玩家们提供了绝佳的赚钱机会，也为他们疯狂地扩充资本，实现其发财梦提供了优质土壤。

 

The relief package has also provided confidence to investors and propelled a stunning turnaround of the stock market, sending stock prices to the pre-pandemic level. The rich and wealthy are the dominant players in the stock market, with the top one percent of Canadian families holding 25% of the stock market wealth. The bounce of the share prices – which jumped 30% after the federal relief fund – has provided the perfect opportunities for the loaded to exploit the market and boost their asset values. 

 

政府大手笔开支后，高收入阶层所担心的要他们付税还债是多余的。与必须在近期内还清的家庭负债不同，在繁荣的经济前景下，联邦政府不需为高额国债还一分钱。创纪录的低利率大大降低了渥京债务成本，一笔2500亿元的债务仅仅消耗15亿元利息，这对渥太华来说完全是个“小意思”。经济的快速增长和极低的利息成本将不会让看似庞大的债务吞噬纳税人的钱包，或损失高收入者的丝毫利益。

 

The high-income earners' concerns over their impending repayment for Ottawa's overspending may not be necessary. Unlike the household finance that requires an immediate pay-off of the current debt, Ottawa does not need to pay down a penny for the national debt under a prosperous economic outlook. The record-low interest rate has also dramatically reduced Ottawa's cost of servicing the debt, with $250 billion of debt eating only an insignificant amount of $1.5 billion of interest. The rapid economic growth and the diminished interest cost will prevent the seemingly massive debt from biting the taxpayers' wallet.

 

对许多未能直接领取联邦政府发放救济金的人士来说，他们从联邦政府慷慨之举中所获得的利益和好处要远远高于那些将救济金直接划入其账户的低薪阶层。他们才是联邦援助计划的最大受益者，也是自由党政府帮助穷人，缩小贫富差距之举措的最大赢家。因此，他们应当做的是尊重，拥护并举双手赞成渥京的政策和行动。并对其心存感激，而不是横加指责，批评其大手大脚和肆意挥霍。而他们的这种感激的心态应不仅仅是出自于其良心和道义，应是出自于其个人的利益。

 

Many who are not the direct recipients of the government's handouts are better off by the relief program than their recipient counterparts. They are the biggest beneficiaries of the financial aid packages and the winner of the Liberal government's action of helping the poor and bridging the income inequality. Instead of criticizing the government's efforts and blaming Ottawa for being an overly generous cash dispenser, they should respect it, appreciate it, and applaud it. And their supportive action should come out not only of their moral consciousness but also of their interests.