Government Taxes Supply Chain $1 for $1
Each Canadian dollar is taxed $0.80-$1.10 in the supply chain vs. USA $0.40-$0.75
Canada - The $1 Dollar Journey Through the Supply Chain
When a dollar travels through Canada’s supply chain, it doesn’t just pass hands, it gets taxed at nearly every step. From the farmer to the grocery store, every business in between contributes to the total tax collected. By the time it reaches the final consumer, the government has taken $0.80-$1.10 of that dollar in taxes, including income tax, GST/HST, carbon taxes, and PST. This high tax burden shapes everything from prices to business profitability and consumer spending.
$1 Breakdown - Canada
Seed Supplier
Corporate Tax: 12.2% (small business rate on profits), GST/HST: 5% on sales, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter on fuel usage (e.g., transportation), Owner’s Income Tax: 40%-50% if owner earns $300K, Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.15 per $1 (based on profit margins and owner taxes).
Farmer
Income Tax: 20%-53.53% (depending on earnings), GST/HST: 5% on sales of produce, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel for operations, irrigation, etc.), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.30-$0.45 per $1 (higher tax burden if income is in higher brackets).
Shipper
Corporate Tax: 26.5% (corporate tax rate), GST/HST: 5% on shipping services, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel for vehicles), Owner’s Income Tax: 20%-30% (for business owners), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.15-$0.25 per $1.
Distributor
Corporate Tax: 26.5% on profits, GST/HST: 5% on sales, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel for transport), Owner’s Income Tax: 30%-40% on personal income (if applicable), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.25-$0.35 per $1.
Food Processor
Corporate Tax: 26.5% on profits, GST/HST: 5% on processed goods, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel used in processing, heating, etc.), Owner’s Income Tax: 40%-53.53% (if personal income is earned from business), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.30-$0.40 per $1.
Shipper to Retailer
Corporate Tax: 26.5%, GST/HST: 5% on shipping services, Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel), Owner’s Income Tax: 20%-30% (if applicable), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.20-$0.30 per $1.
Retailer
Corporate Tax: 26.5% on profits, GST/HST: 5% on goods sold, PST: 8% (Ontario), Carbon Tax: $0.15-$0.30 per liter (fuel for deliveries, heating, etc.), Income Tax on Owner: 40%-53.53% on personal income, Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.35-$0.50 per $1.Overall Total Government Tax Collected:
TOTAL
On average taxes total, $0.80-$1.10 per $1, depending on the specific taxes applicable at each stage and the type of business.
Important Notes: Tax rates depend on specific income levels, provinces, and deductions available to each business type. The GST/HST is applied consistently at 5% throughout, but PST applies in some provinces (e.g., Ontario’s PST of 8% on retail). Carbon tax impacts businesses in fuel-heavy industries (e.g., agriculture, transportation).
Modern Slavery in Plain Sight
In the days of feudalism, serfs were forced to give up most of their labor to survive, with little control over their lives. Today, we’re still enslaved, but the chains are financial: taxes take $0.80-$1.10 per $1 of a dollar’s value as it moves through the supply chain. Just like the serfs, we are compelled to work for the state, with little choice or recourse. While no one is bound by physical chains, the economic control is just as real. Modern citizens are the self-kept slaves of today’s system—working, creating, but giving away most of their value. The power dynamics may have shifted, but the exploitation remains. Are we truly free, or just serfs in disguise?
Let’s take a look at the US too!
USA - The $1 Dollar Journey Through the U.S. Supply Chain
When a dollar travels through the U.S. supply chain, it’s taxed at multiple points. From the farmer to the grocery store, every business involved contributes to the total tax collection. By the time the dollar reaches the consumer, various taxes—like income tax, sales tax, corporate tax, fuel taxes, and more—pile up, leading to $0.40-$0.75 of every dollar going to the government in various taxes. This tax burden impacts everything from business profitability to prices and consumer behavior.
$1 Breakdown - USA
Seed Supplier
Corporate Tax: 21% (federal corporate tax rate), State Corporate Tax: 4-9% (varies by state), Sales Tax: 0-7% on seed sales (if applicable), Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal excise tax on fuel), Owner’s Income Tax: 35%-37% (federal), State Income Tax: 0%-13.3% (depends on the state), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.10-$0.15 per $1.
Farmer
Income Tax: 12%-37% (federal), State Income Tax: 0%-13.3% (varies by state), Sales Tax: 0-7% on produce (if applicable), Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal excise tax), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.20-$0.35 per $1 (higher burden with higher earnings).
Shipper
Corporate Tax: 21% (federal), State Corporate Tax: 4-9%, Sales Tax: 0-7% (shipping services), Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal), Owner’s Income Tax: 25%-40% (federal and state), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.10-$0.20 per $1.
Distributor
Corporate Tax: 21% (federal), State Corporate Tax: 4-9%, Sales Tax: 0-7% on sales, Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal), Owner’s Income Tax: 25%-40% (federal, state), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.20-$0.30 per $1.
Food Processor
Corporate Tax: 21% (federal), State Corporate Tax: 4-9%, Sales Tax: 0-7% on processed goods, Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal), Owner’s Income Tax: 35%-37% (federal), State Income Tax: 0%-13.3%, Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.25-$0.35 per $1.
Shipper to Retailer
Corporate Tax: 21%, State Corporate Tax: 4-9%, Sales Tax: 0-7% on shipping services, Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal), Owner’s Income Tax: 25%-40%, Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.15-$0.25 per $1.
Retailer
Corporate Tax: 21% (federal), State Corporate Tax: 4-9%, Sales Tax: 0%-10% on goods sold (depends on state), Fuel Tax: $0.18-$0.25 per gallon (federal and state taxes on fuel), Income Tax on Owner: 35%-40% (federal, state), Total Tax Burden: Approx. $0.30-$0.40 per $1.
Overall Total Government Tax Collected
On average, across all 7 stages, $0.40-$0.75 per $1 of the dollar is taxed before it reaches the final consumer, depending on factors like corporate profits, owner income, state-level taxes, and fuel usage.
Important Notes
Sales tax varies by state, with no federal sales tax in the U.S. but states applying their own.
Corporate tax is 21% at the federal level, but state taxes range from 4%-9%.
Fuel tax is a federal excise tax of $0.18-$0.25 per gallon on gasoline and diesel.
Carbon tax (on fuel use) is currently not implemented at the federal level in the U.S., but states may apply their own taxes related to carbon or emissions.
Modern Slavery in Plain Sight
Just as serfs in feudal times were bound by physical chains, today’s workers are bound by financial chains. In the U.S., taxes take a massive portion of the dollar’s value, ranging from 40% to 75% at various stages of the supply chain. These taxes, much like the tithes to kings of old, are taken at every level of the economy, draining wealth from businesses and individuals. We’re not physically chained, but we are financially enslaved by a system that extracts enormous value from our labor. While feudal serfs had no choice but to serve their lords, today’s "free" workers give up their earnings through a complex system of taxation and control. The question is: Are we truly free, or just modern serfs with invisible chains?
This adaptation for the U.S. includes federal and state tax structures, sales taxes, fuel taxes, and approximates the overall burden at each stage of the supply chain, offering a clearer picture of what businesses and consumers experience in terms of taxation.