@9P2SZ6M

Social › Abortion

What is your stance on abortion?

9>9 Personal answerPro-choice, and providing birth control, sex education, and more social services will help reduce the number of abortions

Housing › Foreign Real Estate Investment

Should the government restrict the purchase of residential properties by foreign investors?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › Mental Health

Should the government increase funding for mental health research and treatment?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Armed Teachers

Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Housing › Affordable Housing

Should the government incentivize the construction of affordable housing?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › LGBT Adoption Rights

Should gay couples have the same adoption rights as straight couples?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Government Surveillance

Should the government be able to monitor phone calls and emails?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Healthcare › Prescription Drugs

Should prescription drugs be covered under Canada’s universal healthcare plan?

9>9 Personal answerRegardless, enact regulations to cap the price of drugs

Healthcare › Mental Health Funding

Should the government increase funding for mental health initiatives?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Gay Marriage

Do you support the legalization of same sex marriage?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › Healthcare Funding

Should the federal government increase spending on healthcare?

9>9 Personal answerThis shouldn't be a federal issue. Provinces should stick to public funding. But the federal government should be able to step in on mis-managed provincial healthcare systems.

Social › Gender Transition

Should people under the age of 18 years old be able to receive gender-transition treatments?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Social › Gender Identity

Should “gender identity” be added to anti-discrimination laws?

9>9 Personal answerNo, we should address gender identity as a mental health issue and provide funds for more research and care

the Economy › Taxes

Should Canada raise taxes on the rich?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Mandatory Military Service

Should every 18 year old citizen be required to provide at least one year of military service?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Crime › Criminal Justice Use of AI

Should AI be used to make decisions in criminal justice systems?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Social › Hate Speech

Should hate speech be protected by freedom of speech laws?

9>9 Personal answerYes, as long as it does not threaten violence

Social › Gender Workplace Diversity

Should businesses be required to have women on their board of directors?

9>9 Personal answerNo, board members should be the most qualified regardless of gender

Education › University Tuition

Should the federal government put a cap on university tuition rates?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Housing › Rent Control

Should the government implement rent control policies to limit the amount landlords can charge for rent?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › Dental Coverage

Should preventative dental care be covered under Canada’s universal healthcare plan?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Immigration › Citizenship Test

Should immigrants be required to pass a citizenship test to demonstrate a basic understanding of our country’s language, history, and government?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Euthanasia

Should terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via assisted suicide?

9>9 Personal answerYes, but only after a psychological examination to show they fully understand this choice

the Economy › Minimum Wage

Should the government raise the federal minimum wage?

9>9 Personal answerNo, most minimum wage jobs are meant to develop experience, not support a family

Immigration › Deporting Criminal Immigrants

Should immigrants be deported if they commit a serious crime?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › Single-Payer Healthcare

Do you support a single-payer healthcare system?

9>9 Personal answerYes, private companies should not be able to profit off of healthcare

the Economy › Universal Basic Income

Do you support a universal basic income program?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Education › International Students

Should low income international students be provided with a free education?

9>9 Personal answerNo, but the cost of education should be drastically reduced for everyone

Immigration › Immigrant Assimilation

Should immigrants be required to learn English?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › Corporate Tax

Should Canada raise or lower the tax rate for corporations?

9>9 Personal answerRaise

Domestic Policy › Gun Control

Should there be more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Healthcare › Healthcare Privatization

Should there be more or less privatization of hospital and healthcare services?

9>9 Personal answerLess

the Environment › Logging

Should Canada allow the logging of old growth forests?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Social › Transgender Athletes

Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete against athletes that differ from their assigned sex at birth?

9>9 Personal answerYes, but only if their hormone levels are equivalent to those in the gender category in which they compete

Social › Death Penalty

Do you support the death penalty?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Environment › Environmental Regulation

Should the government increase environmental regulations on businesses to reduce carbon emissions?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Immigration › Immigration

Should the government enact a stricter immigration policy?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Niqāb

Should women be allowed to wear a Niqāb, or face veil, to civic ceremonies?

9>9 Personal answerYes, but their identity must be privately verified by a female staff member

Transportation › Eliminating Traffic Laws

Should the government eliminate all traffic laws and rely on voluntary compliance?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Healthcare › Healthcare

Should healthcare be a provincial or federal responsibility?

9>9 Personal answerProvincial, but with federal funding and regulated standards

Crime › Private Prisons

Should the government hire private companies to run prisons?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Housing › First-time Homebuyer Subsidies

Should the government provide subsidies for first-time homebuyers?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Net Neutrality

Should internet service providers be allowed to speed up access to popular websites (that pay higher rates) at the expense of slowing down access to less popular websites (that pay lower rates)?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Social › Women in Combat

Should the military allow women to serve in combat roles?

9>9 Personal answerYes, preventing women from serving in combat roles is discriminatory

Education › Student Loan Debt

Should the government forgive up to $20,000 of student loan debt?

9>9 Personal answerNo, but reduce interest rates

Foreign Policy › Foreign Elections

Should the government attempt to influence foreign elections?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Economy › Universal Child Care

Should the federal government subsidize universal child care?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › United Nations

Should Canada maintain a presence at the United Nations?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Renewable Energy

Should the federal government subsidize the production and consumption of renewable energy sources?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Native Funding

Should Canadian aboriginals receive more government funds?

9>9 Personal answerNo, instead of monetary funds, we should instead offer assistance in the form of education, training, and social programs

Elections › Mental competency testing

Should politicians over 75 years of age have required to pass a mental competency test?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Elections › Criminal Politicians

Should a politician, who has been formerly convicted of a crime, be allowed to run for office?

9>9 Personal answerYes, as long as they have finished serving their sentence

Crime › Drug Trafficking Penalties

Should drug traffickers receive the death penalty?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Domestic Policy › Drug Policy

Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use?

9>9 Personal answerYes, and retroactively reduce sentences for those already serving time

Healthcare › Safe Haven

Should cities open drug “safe havens” where people who are addicted to illegal drugs can use them under the supervision of medical professionals?

9>9 Personal answerYes, drug abuse should be treated as a health issue, not a criminal issue

Elections › Campaign Finance

Should there be a limit to the amount of money a candidate can receive from a donor?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Immigration › Skilled Immigrants

Should Canada increase or decrease the amount of temporary work visas given to high-skilled immigrant workers?

9>9 Personal answerI am satisfied with the current amount

the Environment › Keystone Pipeline

Should the government allow TransCanada to expropriate private property for the construction of the Keystone pipeline?

9>9 Personal answerYes, the pipeline is necessary for the economic future of Canada

the Economy › Welfare Drug Testing

Should welfare recipients be tested for drugs?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Housing › Foreign Owned Homes

Should foreigners be banned from buying homes in Canada for 2 years?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Freshwater Research

Should the government spend $1 billion on freshwater research to restore and protect large lakes and rivers?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Elections › Electoral Reform

Should Canada switch to a proportional representation voting system?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Housing › Green Spaces

Should new housing developments be required to include green spaces and parks?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › COVID Employment Health Pass

Should the government require employees of large businesses to be vaccinated from COVID?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Animal Testing

Should researchers be allowed to use animals in testing the safety of drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and cosmetics?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Fracking

Do you support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Housing › Homeless Encampments

Should homeless individuals, that have refused available shelter or housing, be allowed to sleep or encamp on public property?

9>9 Personal answerNo, and make it a criminal offense

Healthcare › Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of Marijuana?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Crime › Parole Hearings

Should prisoners serving life sentences for first degree murder be eligible for a parole hearing after 15 years?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Environment › Northern Gateway Pipeline

Do you support the Northern Gateway pipeline project?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Commuter Rail

Should the federal government invest in urban, commuter rail infrastructure?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Teacher and Faculty Diversity Training

Should schools be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for teachers and faculty?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Elections › Right of Foreigners to Vote

Should foreigners, currently residing in Canada, have the right to vote?

9>9 Personal answerNo, only legal citizens should be allowed to vote

Housing › Home Buyer Incentives

Should the government subsidize home buyers who make less than $120K per year?

9>9 Personal answerYes, and the government should limit the number of homes that can be bought by a single person or corporation

Elections › Campaign Finance

Should corporations, unions, and non-profit organizations be allowed to donate to political parties?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Domestic Policy › Whistleblower Protection

Should the government pass laws which protect whistleblowers?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › Economic Stimulus

Should the government use economic stimulus to aid the country during times of recession?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › Labor Unions

Do you believe labor unions help or hurt the economy?

9>9 Personal answerHelp

Elections › Prime Minister Term Limits

Should term limits be set for the role of Prime Minister?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Transportation › GPS Vehicle Tracking

Should the government enforce mandatory GPS tracking in all vehicles to monitor driving behavior and improve road safety?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Crime › Demilitarize the Police

Should police departments be allowed to use military grade equipment?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Crime › Defunding the Police

Should funding for local police departments be redirected to social and community based programs?

9>9 Personal answerYes, replace police with unarmed community based responders for non-violent calls

Social › Student Diversity Training

Should schools be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for students?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Transportation › Transportation Accessibility for People with Disabilities

Should the government require public transportation systems to be fully accessible to people with disabilities?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Immigration › Temporary Foreign Workers

Should the government increase or decrease the amount of temporary foreign workers allowed into Canada?

9>9 Personal answerNeither, maintain the current amount

Elections › Minimum Voting Age

Should the minimum voting age be lowered?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Foreign Policy › Weapon Sales Ethics

Should there be restrictions on government arms sales to countries accused of committing human rights violations?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Netanyahu Leadership

Should the government continue to support Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership of the Israeli government?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Economy › Government Spending

Should the government make cuts to public spending in order to reduce the national debt?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Domestic Policy › Worker Strikes

Should government workers be allowed to strike?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Technology › Ethical Artificial Intelligence

Should the government regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure ethical use?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Elections › Political Party Subsidies

Should political parties receive money from the government?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Domestic Policy › National Daycare

Do you support a national daycare policy?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Frozen Embryos Legal Status

Should frozen embryos be considered children?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Domestic Policy › Energy Sector

In order to reduce energy costs, should the government nationalize or privatize the energy sector?

9>9 Personal answerNationalize

Housing › High density residential buildings

Should the government incentivize the construction of high density residential buildings?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Genetically Modified Foods

Do you support the use of genetically engineered crops and foods?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Elections › Candidate Transparency

Should political candidates be required to release their recent tax returns to the public?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Housing › Non-Resident Real Tax

Should the government impose a 1% tax on real estate owned by non-residents?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Food Waste

Should the government invest in programs to reduce food waste?

9>9 Personal answerYes

National Security › Facial Recognition

Should the government use facial recognition technology for mass surveillance to enhance public safety?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Foreign Policy › Foreign Aid

Should Canada increase or decrease foreign aid spending?

9>9 Personal answerDecrease, until we drastically reduce our national budget deficit

Science › Nuclear Energy

Do you support the use of nuclear energy?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Social › Employee Diversity Training

Should companies be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for employees?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Science › Genetic Engineering

Should the government fund research into genetic engineering for disease prevention and treatment?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Education › Postsecondary Education

Should postsecondary education be a provincial or federal responsibility?

9>9 Personal answerFederal

Healthcare › Marketing Unhealthy Products to Youth

Should the government ban the promotion of products that contribute to unhealthy lifestyles for young people, such as vaping and junk food?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Ukraine and Nato

Should Ukraine join NATO?

9>9 Personal answerNo, this should be decided after the current war ends so we avoid a third world war

Domestic Policy › Flag Burning

Should it be illegal to burn the Canadian flag?

9>9 Personal answerYes, and it should be illegal to burn any nation’s flag

Transportation › Public Transportation

Should the government increase spending on public transportation?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Immigration › Dual Citizenship

Should immigrants to Canada be allowed to hold dual citizenship status?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › NAFTA

Should Canada continue to participate in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Military Spending

Should the government increase or decrease military spending?

9>9 Personal answerIncrease, but only after our deficit is drastically reduced

Crime › Restorative Justice Programs

Should the government implement restorative justice programs as an alternative to incarceration?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Bill C-51

Do you support Bill C-51, which expands local police and intelligence agencies’ authority to prevent terrorism?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Healthcare › World Health Organization

Should the government fund the World Health Organization?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Healthcare › Medical Consensus

Should medical boards penalize doctors who give health advice that contradicts contemporary scientific consensus?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Crime › Criminal Voting Rights

Should convicted criminals have the right to vote?

9>9 Personal answerYes, but only after completing their sentences and parole/probation

the Economy › Offshore Banking

Should Canadian citizens be allowed to save or invest their money in offshore bank accounts?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Economy › Bonus Cap

Should bankers’ bonuses be capped at 100% of their pay?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Science › Lab Grown Meat

Should the government allow the commercialization of lab-grown meat?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › Government Pensions

Should pension payments be increased for retired government workers?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Transportation › Distracted Driving Penalties

Should the government increase penalties for distracted driving?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › CBC Funding

Should the government increase funding to the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Transportation › Green Transportation

Should all public buses and trains run on electric power?

9>9 Personal answerNo, not all, just focus on infrastructure that is easy and cost-effective to replace

Crime › Prison Overcrowding

Should non-violent prisoners be released from jail in order to reduce overcrowding?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Political Advertising on Social Media

Should social media companies ban political advertising?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Foreign Policy › Two State Solution for Israel and Palestine

Do you support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Senate

Should the federal government elect or abolish the Senate?

9>9 Personal answerElect, and require members to be non-partisan

the Environment › Geoengineering

Should the government fund research into geoengineering as a way to combat climate change?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Economy › Pension Premiums

Should the employee contribution rate for the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) be raised above its current 4.49% rate?

9>9 Personal answerRegardless, allow employees the option to contribute an additional 5%-10%

Transportation › Smart Transportation Infrastructure

Should the government invest in the development of smart transportation infrastructure?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Should the government build a network of electric vehicle charging stations?

9>9 Personal answerNo, and we should be focusing more on improving public transportation

the Economy › State Ownership

Should the government acquire equity stakes in companies it bails out during a recession?

9>9 Personal answerYes, the government should receive equity for any financial aid they provide to companies

Education › University Debt Accountability

Should universities be held financially accountable if graduates, with degrees leading to lower income jobs, default on their student loans?

9>9 Personal answerYes

the Environment › Carbon Capture Subsidies

Should the government provide subsidies for companies developing carbon capture technologies?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Immigration › Sanctuary Cities

Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Transportation › Bicycles and Bike Lanes

Should the government promote the use of bicycles by expanding bike lanes and bike-sharing programs?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Education › Charter Schools

Do you support independent schools?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Environment › EV Subsidies

Should the government provide subsidies to taxpayers who purchase an electric vehicle?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Transportation › Advanced Automotive Technology

Should the government restrict the use of advanced technology in vehicles to maintain human control and prevent over-reliance on technology?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Transportation › Diesel Emission Standards

Should the government implement stricter emissions standards for diesel vehicles?

9>9 Personal answerYes

National Security › Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Defense

Should the government invest in artificial intelligence (AI) for defense applications?

9>9 Personal answerNo

Foreign Policy › Saudi Arabia and Iran

Should the government support peace talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran?

9>9 Personal answerYes, we should always promote diplomatic peace talks during foreign conflicts

National Security › Backdoor Access to Encrypted Communications

Should the government require tech companies to provide backdoor access to encrypted communications for national security purposes?

9>9 Personal answerNo

the Economy › Decentralized Finance

Should the technology of our financial system transition to a decentralized protocol, that is not owned or controlled by any corporation, similar to the internet?

9>9 Personal answerYes, but only if it’s truly decentralized and cannot be manipulated by any person, group, or government agency

Domestic Policy › Long Form Census

Should the government reinstate the long form mandatory census?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Technology › Social Media Regulation

Should the government mandate that large tech companies share their algorithms with regulators?

9>9 Personal answerNo

National Security › Cross-border Payments

Should the government ban its citizens from using cross-border payment methods (like crypto) to send money to relatives in OFAC sanctioned countries (Palestine, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, and North Korea)?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Transportation › Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

Should the government regulate the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles?

9>9 Personal answerYes

Domestic Policy › Copyright

Should the government allow digital publishers to place locks on their content (MP3s, etc)?

9>9 Personal answerLet the free market, instead of the government, decide

Domestic Policy › CSA Funding

Should the government increase funding to the CSA (Canadian Standards Association)?

9>9 Personal answerYes

@9P2SZ6M

Answers

Topics

What is your stance on abortion?

Should the government restrict the purchase of residential properties by foreign investors?

Should the government increase funding for mental health research and treatment?

Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?

Should the government incentivize the construction of affordable housing?

Should gay couples have the same adoption rights as straight couples?

Should the government be able to monitor phone calls and emails?

Should prescription drugs be covered under Canada’s universal healthcare plan?

Should the government increase funding for mental health initiatives?

Do you support the legalization of same sex marriage?

Should the federal government increase spending on healthcare?

Should people under the age of 18 years old be able to receive gender-transition treatments?

Should “gender identity” be added to anti-discrimination laws?

Should Canada raise taxes on the rich?

Should every 18 year old citizen be required to provide at least one year of military service?

Should AI be used to make decisions in criminal justice systems?

Should hate speech be protected by freedom of speech laws?

Should businesses be required to have women on their board of directors?

Should the federal government put a cap on university tuition rates?

Should the government implement rent control policies to limit the amount landlords can charge for rent?

Should preventative dental care be covered under Canada’s universal healthcare plan?

Should immigrants be required to pass a citizenship test to demonstrate a basic understanding of our country’s language, history, and government?

Should terminally ill patients be allowed to end their lives via assisted suicide?

Should the government raise the federal minimum wage?

Should immigrants be deported if they commit a serious crime?

Do you support a single-payer healthcare system?

Do you support a universal basic income program?

Should low income international students be provided with a free education?

Should immigrants be required to learn English?

Should Canada raise or lower the tax rate for corporations?

Should there be more restrictions on the current process of purchasing a gun?

Should there be more or less privatization of hospital and healthcare services?

Should Canada allow the logging of old growth forests?

Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete against athletes that differ from their assigned sex at birth?

Do you support the death penalty?

Should the government increase environmental regulations on businesses to reduce carbon emissions?

Should the government enact a stricter immigration policy?

Should women be allowed to wear a Niqāb, or face veil, to civic ceremonies?

Should the government eliminate all traffic laws and rely on voluntary compliance?

Should healthcare be a provincial or federal responsibility?

Should the government hire private companies to run prisons?

Should the government provide subsidies for first-time homebuyers?

Should internet service providers be allowed to speed up access to popular websites (that pay higher rates) at the expense of slowing down access to less popular websites (that pay lower rates)?

Should the military allow women to serve in combat roles?

Should the government forgive up to $20,000 of student loan debt?

Should the government attempt to influence foreign elections?

Should the federal government subsidize universal child care?

Should Canada maintain a presence at the United Nations?

Should the federal government subsidize the production and consumption of renewable energy sources?

Should Canadian aboriginals receive more government funds?

Should politicians over 75 years of age have required to pass a mental competency test?

Should a politician, who has been formerly convicted of a crime, be allowed to run for office?

Should drug traffickers receive the death penalty?

Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use?

Should cities open drug “safe havens” where people who are addicted to illegal drugs can use them under the supervision of medical professionals?

Should there be a limit to the amount of money a candidate can receive from a donor?

Should Canada increase or decrease the amount of temporary work visas given to high-skilled immigrant workers?

Should the government allow TransCanada to expropriate private property for the construction of the Keystone pipeline?

Should welfare recipients be tested for drugs?

Should foreigners be banned from buying homes in Canada for 2 years?

Should the government spend $1 billion on freshwater research to restore and protect large lakes and rivers?

Should Canada switch to a proportional representation voting system?

Should new housing developments be required to include green spaces and parks?

Should the government require employees of large businesses to be vaccinated from COVID?

Should researchers be allowed to use animals in testing the safety of drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and cosmetics?

Do you support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources?

Should homeless individuals, that have refused available shelter or housing, be allowed to sleep or encamp on public property?

Do you support the legalization of Marijuana?

Should prisoners serving life sentences for first degree murder be eligible for a parole hearing after 15 years?

Do you support the Northern Gateway pipeline project?

Should the federal government invest in urban, commuter rail infrastructure?

Should schools be allowed to require mandatory diversity training for teachers and faculty?

Should foreigners, currently residing in Canada, have the right to vote?

Should the government subsidize home buyers who make less than $120K per year?

Should corporations, unions, and non-profit organizations be allowed to donate to political parties?

Should the government pass laws which protect whistleblowers?

Should the government use economic stimulus to aid the country during times of recession?