Liberals to cancel GST?

[shoop]

According to Paul Wells

http://weblogs.macleans.ca/paulwells

The tax cuts in Monday's mini-budget will including cancelling the GST.

Wow that would be very interesting. Not in the best long-term financial interest of the country, but very interesting none the less.

Anybody got figures on how much revenue the Feds would be foregoing with this move?

[fellowtraveller]

We are all Belinda Stronach now.

This made me laugh out loud.

How pathetically true and insanely Canadian is that comment?

The worst thing is : it will probably work.

[Minimus Maximus]

I'll admit , I laughed , I cried and wrote bad cheques after reading this. This has to be some kind of a joke, I just cannot see the federal Liberal party foregoing revenue and giving rebates at the same time. Who does Goodale think he is, Ralph Klien?

[Riverwind]

Anybody got figures on how much revenue the Feds would be foregoing with this move?

$30 billion/year or about 15% of all federal government revenue.

I think Wells was being sarcastic.

[kimmy]

I had been under the impression that the mini-budget would avoid money items so as to not become a confidence vote. But I guess with opposition days coming up and no NDP deal on the table, there's no reason to do that anyway.

Once upon a time a promise to eliminate the GST would have been greeted with cheers, maybe even swept a party into office. But I think that Canadians have been educated greatly over the past decade or so, and that such a promise will now be viewed with healthy skepticism that will have Canadians asking: "if they cancel the GST, how will they make up for the lost revenue?" Whether cancelling the GST is a successful campaign ploy will depend on how credible the Liberals' answer to that question is.

In my opinion, promising to eliminate the GST sounds like desperation. I also think that it would be a signal that they want to fight on the Conservatives on their turf (tax cuts) and step back from the NDP's turf (social spending). I don't think Canadians are gullible enough to believe that a government can do both. I suspect that if Paul Wells is correct about big tax cuts from the Liberals, the NDP will have a lot of ammunition in this election, and that could backfire on the Liberals in Southern Ontario and Lower Mainland.

-k

[theloniusfleabag]

This link is typical of why I have nothing but disdain for the credibility of 'blogs'. 'Blogging' is the blackest eye true journalism has suffered since the advent of Josef Goebbels.

[Leafless]

Cancelling the GST could greatly move the economy and greatly encourage consumer spending that would make up or surpass revenue from the GST which is supposed in it's entirety to be used to eliminate the gross national deficit.

I hope they do cancell the GST as I always found the GST oppressive and illegal in the sense merchants are allowed to advertise an item at a price that DOES NOT include the GST.

As a result ever since it's introduction I became extremely cautious concerning items I buy and consider Canada 'consumer unfriendly' especially when coupled with the other rip off tax the PST.

[Riverwind]

As a result ever since it's introduction I became extremely cautious concerning items I buy and consider Canada 'consumer unfriendly' especially when coupled with the other rip off tax the PST.

I would much rather pay taxes on my spending than pay taxes on my income. If there is fiscal room to eliminate the GST then it should be used to increase the personal exemption for income tax. This would have the effect of eliminating income tax for many people who are supposedly 'hurt' by the GST.

[FTA Lawyer]

Anybody got figures on how much revenue the Feds would be foregoing with this move?

$30 billion/year or about 15% of all federal government revenue.

I think Wells was being sarcastic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I read this piece as being just a tad "tounge in cheek" as well.

FTA

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear Sparhawk,

I would much rather pay taxes on my spending than pay taxes on my income. If there is fiscal room to eliminate the GST then it should be used to increase the personal exemption for income tax. This would have the effect of eliminating income tax for many people who are supposedly 'hurt' by the GST.

I concur. I would rather see the GST go to 10% coupled with the elimination of income tax.

[tml12]

Anybody got figures on how much revenue the Feds would be foregoing with this move?

$30 billion/year or about 15% of all federal government revenue.

I think Wells was being sarcastic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I read this piece as being just a tad "tounge in cheek" as well.

FTA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why would someone read this tongue in cheek...it is NOT like the Liberals have EVER promised to remove the GST before???

[Leafless]

shoop

schoop wrote- " Anybody got fiqures on how much revenue the feds would be foregoing with this move."

According to my info the GST represents $66-billion dollars in added revenue to federal coffers.

[August1991]

shoop

schoop wrote- " Anybody got fiqures on how much revenue the feds would be foregoing with this move."

According to my info the GST represents $66-billion dollars in added revenue to federal coffers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sparhawk posted this before. In 2004-05, GST brought in $29.8 billion or about 15% of all federal revenues. Finance Canada

Wells was being tongue in cheek but his point is serious. The Liberals are going to promise everything possible, and it will be stuff particularly aimed at voters hesitating between the NDP and the Liberals.

[shoop]

I really think that is good news for the everybody but the Liberals. Martin will lose a lot of support to both the NDs and the Greens because people will see his desperation and decide to vote their consciences.

I could see four or five Greens winning in BC the next election.

[Riverwind]

I could see four or five Greens winning in BC the next election.

Will never happen. The leader of the Green party came a distant 3rd in her own riding in th recent provincial election despite the fact that the Greens were treated as a mainstream party by the media. Although the Greens to pick up the odd right wing environmentalist they are basically a left wing party and compete only with the NDP for votes.

[shoop]

Wow.

You really shouldn't show such ignorance.

Take a look at the Greens platform and policies.

Obviously pro-environment, but very right of centre fiscally and libertarian on social issues.

But I guess that is all you know when you never take the time to actually read anything.

Will never happen. The leader of the Green party came a distant 3rd in her own riding in th recent provincial election despite the fact that the Greens were treated as a mainstream party by the media. Although the Greens to pick up the odd right wing environmentalist they are basically a left wing party and compete only with the NDP for votes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[BHS]

This link is typical of why I have nothing but disdain for the credibility of 'blogs'. 'Blogging' is the blackest eye true journalism has suffered since the advent of Josef Goebbels.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And that black eye is entirely deserved. Blogs have to be taken with a grain of salt, true, but at least they're up front about the opinionated nature of their content and quick to retract or correct mistakes once they're recognized. Your concept of "true journalism" sounds like a fiction invented to keep the established j-school media elite in a position of undeserved authority. But I digress. I feel no further need to defend blogging, as blogs of all shape and hue are all over the 'net, as anyone reading this can find out for themselves. Just go on believing whatever the CBC tells you.

[BHS]

PS - I continue to find amusement in posts conflating whatever the writer disagrees with, with Nazism. A bona fide calling card of the lefty mind. Thanks for the larf.

[Riverwind]

Obviously pro-environment, but very right of centre fiscally and libertarian on social issues.

Have you actually listened to them campaign? I heard a lot of Adrian Carr during the BC campaign and it sounded exactly like the same nanny state rhetoric that comes from the NDP. I know the leader of the Greens nationally is a former conservative but that really does not mean much since I am sure 8 out of 10 possible green voters are disaffected NDPs (maybe because they have not read the Green party platform). The Greens have an interesting view point and I like some aspects of their official platorm but I don't see their being any room for them until we get some sort of PR at the federal level.