QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Tax Rates
June 13, 2024
Senator Gold, you seem very bothered by slogans these days. I thought that I would bring home some you might be happier with.
Let’s start, Senator Gold, with “sunny ways.” After nine years of Justin Trudeau, it has been nothing but sunny ways for Liberal insiders, including the Prime Minister’s own family and close personal friends.
Then there is, “. . . stand up for the middle class and those working hard to join it.” How about that one? Canadians are working hard all right, but the only class that they are joining after nine years of Justin is the school of hard knocks.
We also have a few that did not catch on so well, such as “. . . grow the economy . . . from the heart outwards,” or “the budget will balance itself.” Or there is this, the pièce de résistance, “Thank you for your donation.”
Here is a slogan for you, Senator Gold: “Try,” as in, try to do the right thing for Canadians. Try to cut taxes instead of hiking them.
Do you think Justin Trudeau can do that, just try to give Canadians relief with some tax cuts?
Well, Senator Housakos, you have not lost your touch for providing a fairly entertaining set of slogans but rather thin gruel when it comes to policy.
The fact remains —
In a very revealing interview, your leader made it quite clear that he is cleaving to a rather libertarian view of what the role of the state should be in Canada, and that is a minimal state: yes, roads, perhaps, and some infrastructure and perhaps a social safety net. This government has invested in Canada, invested in Canadians through the pandemic, invested in our transition to a cleaner, more sustainable economy and will continue to do so for the benefit of our country, our children and our grandchildren.
Senator Gold, you do not like Conservative slogans; it seems as if you like Liberal slogans even less. Your government just introduced a job-killing, investment‑killing, retirement-killing tax under the guise of fairness. You hold the record of increasing taxes on Canadians.
Why is it that not once in the interest of fairness has your government ever considered cutting a tax? Just try it. Why is your answer always to demonize hard-working Canadians and steal their money? Why won’t you give them their money and let them do what they want with it?
I am not demonizing hard-working Canadians nor insulting their intelligence. I’m standing here and explaining to you the government’s position and its overall vision for this country: a vision that is taking into account climate change and capital movements in the world in terms of investing in clean and sustainable energy. It will continue to stand on its record.
