39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • NUMBER 019
CONTENTS
Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Mr. Ed Komarnicki (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I have one comment relating to the personal income tax rate. There is no question that the budget contains a total of 29 separate tax reductions which amount cumulatively to a far greater tax reduction than the party opposite gave in the last four years.

In particular, we found that the current personal income tax rate of 16% was something that the party opposite proposed to reduce but never did. The Liberals made many promises but they were promises that would have taken effect five years down the road when they would not likely to be in government and not likely have to deliver.

Is the hon. member indicating that he wishes the budget to be voted down and the personal income tax rate to remain at 16% as opposed to what it should be?

What does he think about the cumulative 29 separate tax cuts for Canadians and $20 billion of tax relief, more than the last four budgets of the Liberals when they were in government? Why would he disagree with such tax breaks to ordinary Canadians?

Mr. Blair Wilson: Mr. Speaker, I will deal with two specific issues.

If the hon. member would check the 2005 tax guide he would see right on there that the rate for personal taxes at the lowest level is 15%. The new rate that the Conservatives are proposing is 15.5%. Anyway we cut it, that is 0.5% increase for the people who can least afford it.

My response is that there have been 29 separate tax cuts. These different tax cuts, tax credits as well, are not a strategy or a plan for the future. This is a piecemeal approach to buying votes. I think it is blatant vote buying by the government. The Conservatives are not worried about the future of Canadians. They are worried about the next nine months.

To answer the question, yes, there is a definite increase in taxes by 0.5% and, by lowering the personal exemption rate by $200, we will add more Canadians on to the tax rolls, not take them off.