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But the New Democrats are not just profligate on the spending side, they are enthusiastic on the tax front too.

Photo by Stephane Mahe/Reuters

They have unearthed a number of new revenue sources that would qualify as “morally sanctioned theft” — in the words of American conservative writer David Horowitz – the dividing up of what others have created.

Singh’s plan includes proposals to increase the top rate of federal income tax by two points to 35 per cent, which would mean Canadians in seven provinces would pay more than 50 per cent in tax on each dollar earned above $210,000.

The plan includes a new wealth tax equal to one per cent on net wealth above $20 million. The Parliamentary Budget Office said this measure could bring in $5.5 billion in 2020/21 but warned of “high uncertainty” and a “large behavioural response” due to widespread avoidance. A prudent government would not rely on that amount of revenue – but then a prudent government wouldn’t propose it in the first place.

A Singh government would also increase the corporate income tax rate by three points and increase the amount of investment income subject to capital gains tax to 75 per cent, up from the current 50 per cent.

The New Democrats are not just profligate on the spending side, they are enthusiastic on the tax front too

Then there’s the Trans Mountain pipeline, which Singh does not believe should go ahead on environmental grounds.

The New Democrats may yet prove to be a force in this election. The party’s support pinballs around from election to election – Layton added two million new voters in 2011 but a million were promptly lost in 2015, when Tom Mulcair secured just under 20 per cent of the vote, or 3.47 million votes.

Singh is currently polling around 14 per cent and it seems a good bet that his support will rise on the back of two good debate performances and a solid campaign.

But anyone who feels like taking a punt on Singh on the back of some pithy one liners and an agreeable nature should consider that his platform is no laughing matter. Any government in which the NDP is an influential voice is more likely to create poverty than wealth.

• Email: jivison@postmedia.com | Twitter: IvisonJ