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What they say: Harper Conservatives’ are continuing with the same regressive tax measures they’ve been championing for five years. So far they have re-announced a host of ‘boutique’ tax credit for volunteer firefighters, children’s fitness and arts programs, tools for select trades people and other small, specific measures.

Other Harper Conservative tax relief measures - such increasing the limit on tax-free savings accounts - won’t be implemented until the federal budget is balanced.

What CUPE says: The only real winners with these boutique tax credits are high-income earners and tax accountants. In real terms, some of these credits are only worth $75 and even less - if anything at all - for low-income earners.

The only real tax relief being offered by the Harper Conservatives’ immediately is for large, profitable corporations. So instead of waiting for the budget to be balance, Canada’s corporate tax cuts will only be adding to the deficit.

Important social program spending, particularly those targeted for women, children and equity seeking groups, is being sacrificed to pay for these corporate tax cuts.

It’s much more effective and fair to increase funding directly for public programs and services, instead of dressing up ineffective boutique credits to give the illusion Canadians workers are getting any help from Harper Conservatives.