By Greg Nikkel
Local business professionals in Weyburn and area are worried about the short and long-term effects of new taxes from the federal government, and shared the concerns at a roundtable discussion with Andrew Scheer, federal leader of the Conservative Party, on Thursday evening.
Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen arranged the roundtable at the Microtel Hotel, with professionals ranging from doctors, veterinarians, dentists and chiropractors to lawyers and accountants.
Local business operators are concerned about the Liberal government’s plan to raise taxes on their businesses, and the consequences that these tax hikes will have on communities in Souris-Moose Mountain.
“So many of you run local sports or local charities. That is a big part of all this, that there really is more to society than just government. We’re going to take back what we’ve heard,” said Scheer as he wrapped up the discussion time. “The fight’s not over. It’s never over in the House of Commons. Although we don’t have the votes in this Parliament to force a change, they can be forced to do the right thing by our powerful voices in the Commons.”
The Opposition leader said his party wants to offer a different vision, one that doesn’t pit one group of Canadians against another, and added, “I’m proud to be from Saskatchewan. There’s always a group of people from Saskatchewan wherever I go.”
Many former Saskatchewan residents can be found around the country because many people were forced to leave the province to find opportunities, and said, “This Liberal government is doing the same thing federally. We need your help to push back.”
“I was happy to host Andrew in Weyburn so that he could meet some of the hardworking people from my riding who will be negatively impacted by the Liberal’s attack on local businesses,” said Kitchen. “These tax changes will have serious repercussions on local business owners in rural Canada and in rural Saskatchewan in particular.”
Kitchen noted that under relentless pressure from the Conservatives, the Liberal government retreated from its first set of proposals for these tax hikes. However, their delay in releasing the details of these changes has prolonged the uncertainty faced by local businesses and the workers, who have been unable to make future plans about savings, investments and retirement.
“Local businesses create jobs and opportunities in communities across Canada, and so many Canadians depend on them for a good living. That’s why our government needs to treat local businesses with respect. Conservatives will keep fighting for lower taxes for all Canadians: families, individuals and businesses,” said Scheer.
Other issues he’s been hearing about as he meets with groups around the country include concerns over trade issues, specifically how the Trudeau government has been handling the North American Free Trade negotiations and the Trans-Pacific trade agreement, which Canada walked away from without explanation, and the carbon tax issue.
The proof that the carbon tax policy is purely ideological is seen in how the Liberals turned down Saskatchewan’s climate change proposal, which would address the goals of the carbon tax by reducing greenhouse gas emissions but without levying a punitive carbon tax, which the province feels will hurt the economy and the oil-gas industry in particular, said Scheer in an interview.
Earlier in the roundtable discussion, one point made by a number of speakers was that the only way they could get any maternity leave was by splitting their income with their spouse. One pointed out that as a physician, it will be very difficult for new physicians to be recruited if government taxes make it impossible for a doctor to have a family life.
“We intend on raising this when we come back in session in February,” said Scheer. “When we work together, we can effect change. I’m optimistic we can mitigate some of it.”
He added this tax policy on small businesses and professionals is “very much a socialist mindset. I believe it’s an attack on independent people. Their proposals have not affected the big companies in Canada. They still get all the benefits that they had before.”
A roundtable participant pointed out the whole story about the impact of the business taxes isn’t being told by the mainstream media. “There has to be a way to get the message out. Just because we’re professionals doesn’t mean we’re ahead of everyone else. We have expenses because of the path who chose to follow. There are risks when you become incorporated as a professional.”
Scheer said for many of the professionals around the table, there must have been many sleepless nights about how things were going to work out, and commented, “Being able to earn a reward from your hard work is a noble principle.”
To demonstrate further the federal government’s attitude, he pointed out that Finance Minister Bill Morneau called money that is invested “dead money”.
“It was that statement that told me he doesn’t understand how it works. When I put money into a GIC, that money doesn’t die. It’s put into investments and provides capital,” said Scheer.
The Conservatives are still formulating their policies, but Scheer said they value input from citizens before the policies are finalized in time for the next federal election in 2020.
A roundtable participant commented that Canada is in need of tax reform, and said, “It’s a nightmare of complexity … These rules should be scrapped, and let’s start over.”
The participant noted that Canada was in a fairly good spot in terms of business taxes, but with the environment in the United States under President Donald Trump, combined with the new tax rules that were introduced in July, he feels Canada’s economy is going to take a hit in the long-term.
Scheer said he hasn’t come across one person who is better off under the new business tax rules of the federal government, and said, “I don’t see how the economy is better or how it will create more opportunities.”
The leader told about when he found work as a university student, as he provided an example of the importance for professionals to be able to set up and operate their businesses.
“When I moved to Regina, I got a job at a small insurance firm, and they paid for my training and I got my accreditation as a broker. There were 10 other brokers there just like me, and they’re still there or they’ve started their own business,” said Scheer.
