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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 273

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 1, 2024 10:00AM
  • Feb/1/24 1:51:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would ask the member about the $6.23 billion that is being grabbed due to the tax on the tax, the GST on the carbon tax.
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  • Feb/1/24 4:10:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I think it is really important to highlight the hypocrisy from the Conservatives on this issue, especially with the fact that they were the ones who brought in the GST, some of the most regressive commercial taxation on citizens we have ever seen. Then, under Stephen Harper, they doubled down with the HST. Unbelievably, they had to borrow money to buy off a couple of provinces to implement the HST, which we are now paying interest on because we are in debt. All this debt and all this cost is back on the consumers from the Conservatives. I am wondering if the Conservatives at least have some remorse and regret for Brian Mulroney and Stephen Harper, who brought in some of the worst taxation processes for consumers we have ever seen in this country.
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  • Feb/1/24 4:37:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, earlier in the debate, the Conservatives raised the issue of the GST and HST, which is something they created through Brian Mulroney and then Stephen Harper. Then they dished it off by saying that we cannot go back 15 years or 20 years, but every bill we pay still has the GST and HST on it. In fact, the history of this country is bringing in the GST with the Conservatives and the Liberals to actually reduce corporate taxes for the oil and gas industries, the telcos and the pharmaceutical companies and shift that tax burden to the general public, the consumers, with prices at the pump, at the grocery store and other places. The reality is that we have actually reduced the GST at certain points in time and taken it off feminine products and other things. In the Liberals' past behaviours and practices, they so-called fought among themselves with cutting the corporate taxes a lot faster and deeper. Will they amend these behaviours, reduce the GST and the HST, take the burden off consumers and put it where it belongs, on the richest corporations that abuse Canadians?
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  • Feb/1/24 5:11:43 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my colleague pointed out a very important fact that a lot of Canadians do not hear about, and that is the reality that there is GST on the carbon tax. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has clearly stated, as the member pointed out, that over half a billion dollars has been collected on the GST on that carbon tax to date, this year alone. Where does that money go? The government continues to say it is given back, but it is not given back. We have service clubs for seniors that are paying $200 to heat their service club, but when they look at the bill, it is actually $100 of carbon tax. They, too, do not get that tax back. Would the member comment on that?
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