To Mr. Sweeney-I intentionally left health care out of my response because it is something I think every Canadian should have access to and so I don't begrudge my taxes being used towards it. As far as paying back all that was subsidized during my childhood, are you implying my parents didn't pay their taxes? If so, let me clear this up. They were of the generation that never lived in debt, nor social assistance and paid their taxes in full every year as a way of giving back for a very good life (unlike say, a certain former PM and where was all the self-righteous taxpayer indignation then?). My mother sacrificed her career to be a stay-at-home Mom. Can you guess what kind of "pension" she and other stay-at-home parents receive from the government, even today? Nothing because society, the one we should procreate for, doesn't really value stay-at-home parents but that is a discussion for another day. If however, it makes you feel better, sure, I will pay back all the subsidies I have received since birth. In return, can you promise me, that the Canadian Children's Aid Society will close its doors? Because this discussion is not about ensuring future Canadian generations to pay taxes, it is about couples (mostly women I would guess), not wanting to make that lifelong commitment that children are entitled to. I am a parent, I know what that commitment is. I know what the rewards are and the costs. And it is not easy but in my opinion everyone should think about it and make the decision that suits them.

Lainey didn't write the book, she's only in the article because she has been upfront on her very popular blog of not wanting children. Having kids because they happen and they are future tax payers is just one of the funniest things I've read. On one hand, I think "well dah" and on the other, I can't help but wonder how many of your and my tax dollars will get spent on these accidental kids getting therapy. The whole point of the article is that couples are thinking about whether they should have children. Why is that so awful? Isn't it conservative ideal that people act responsibly? At the ripe age of 44, I recently found out that my mother has narcissistic personality disorder, and the effect of having a mother who is incapable of being a parent has been devastating. I've lived with this for 44 years not knowing what it was I was doing wrong and it turns out, it's not even about me. Do I wish she had chosen not to have kids, you bet I do! It's the kids who suffer when they end up with parents incapable of looking after them.