THUNDER BAY – Candidates in Thunder Bay-Rainy River say the Canadian tax system needs an overhaul.
They differ, however, on what the best way to get there might be.
Recently the five federal election hopefuls had a chance to expand on how their parties would make things better for voters over the next four years.
The NDP’s Yuk-Sem Won said two out of three Canadians are getting no relief under the current system.
“The rich are getting richer and the rest of us are getting left behind. The New Democrat government wants to make fundamentally different choices. Our fiscal policies will put everyday Canadian and their families first,” Won said at last week’s riding debate, held at Confederation College.
“We want to raise revenues through new and fair taxation sources. We want to close the loopholes that are currently (creating) tax havens and where big corporations are able to store away money away from our revenue.”
Won added anyone making $20 million or more will be taxed one per cent more annually to ensure Canadian services can continue to be funded.
Conservative Linda Rydholm said a tax review would be helpful, adding that taxes have skyrocketed under the Liberal government.
“Eighty per cent of Canadians today pay $800 more per year in taxes than they did four years ago,” Rydholm said.
“Eighty per cent of Canadians are paying a variety of different taxes more than they did four years ago. A Conservative government seeks to reduce those taxes, various ones, lowering the tax rate to the lowest category,” she said.
Eliminating the carbon tax and home-heating taxes is a start, Rydholm said, adding the tax code needs to be simplified.
“We have too many taxes,” she said.
Andrew Hartnell, looking to take the riding for the fledgling right-win People’s Party of Canada, agreed there are far too many taxes being paid by Canadian taxpayers.
First and foremost, the carbon tax has to go, he said.
“We already have a carbon tax. It’s called the gas tax,” Hartnell said. “People can’t afford it. Right now this country there are basically two tiers of people – the rich and the poor. That’s pretty much the system we have. A lot of families are struggling. I come from a big family and a majority of them are wondering if they can actually pay their hydro bill or upgrade their vehicles or do other things.
Hartnell said government has to do something to provide a tax break for lower income Canadians to help them get ahead.
First-time candidate Marcus Powlowski said the Liberals have already promised a review of several existing tax measures and will take action to make taxes more fair.
“This includes taking steps to crack down on corporate tax evasion and avoidance and asking wealthy Canadians to pay a little bit more. There are a whole bunch of things that ensue with that,” Powlowski said.
It starts with ensuring multinational companies don’t go from jurisdiction to jurisdiction to improve taxation, but also includes improving whistleblower protection, cutting down on tax loopholes and making sure tech giants making money in Canada actually pay taxes on that revenue.
“As to the complexities of the system, I’m totally sympathetic,” he said, adding taxpayers shouldn’t have to have a PhD to fill out their return.
Amanda Maddejonge of the Green Party said her party would agree to a Royal Commission to reform the country’s tax system. But they’d go a step further, she said.
“We’re also going to implement a council of Canadian governments,” Moddejonge said. “What that’s going to allow us to do is actually have these conversations across all levels of government. That means federally, provincially, territorially, Indigenous ... all will have these conversations so that we can make these policy priorities and have a conversation so that people in this area are actually getting the best bang for their buck.”
The federal election is Monday.
