Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Let us settle this like gentlemen

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, April 1, 2010 10:36am - 50 Comments

On Monday, Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, wrote Michael Ignatieff to express his concern with the Liberal leader’s vow to freeze corporate tax rates at their current level.

Today, the Liberal leader has written back to Mr. Beatty.

Tags: Canada 150, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, corporate tax, corporate taxes, Michael Ignatieff, perrin beatty, taxation

More by Aaron Wherry

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

Yes! A thousand times, YES!
no more non-partisan

I agree that Ontario was late to the game of tax effectiveness. You need the income from business growth to fund the social infrastructure- it's okay to prime the pump with education and health funding- but you can't ignore direct business development policies as long as the Ontario government did. Better late than never however.

The feds don't have a senior role in education and health- their job is to deliver the funds to the provinces to do the job. Their tools are tax and investment rules which the current government is using to great effect. Their transfers to the provinces to do the things you believe add value to the business environment have been dramatically increased. The Ontario government has finally gotten in synch with a federal government that is using its fiscal and monetary powers efficiently. Let's not start mixing responsibilities and fighting for the glory as the "Old Liberals" did. It may have been a winner for Chretien but the Canadian public is wiser
http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

From Ignatieff's letterIn particular, I look forward to hearing your views on the present government’s decision to increase (rather than freeze) payroll taxes by 35% over the next five years.

I expect silence from Beatty on this point. Increasing productivity will be a illusive and unreachable goal as long as the Beatty's of Canada expect the minions to work harder for less.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Geiseric Geiseric

Hands up anyone remembers the last time the CoC didn't think lower business taxes WASN'T the solution.

anyone?
Dee

Iggy's right on this one. The Canadian business community has to stop whining about taxes, and start investing more of its' profits in research and development, so that we can better compete in the global economy with the more innovative countries. Businesses grow by innovation not because of taxation rates.

http://intensedebate.com/people/YYZ YYZ

I don't disagree, but the ability to invest in R&D and low corporate taxes are not unrelated.

http://intensedebate.com/people/PhilCP PhilCP

Telling that you used the phrase not unrelated instead of related.

http://www.TennisVagabond.com Big Dave S

OK letter I guess, but a bit dry. Where are the slander, personal attacks and accusations? Where is the defense of our soldiers, who this guy obviously doesn't care to pay to protect?
Seems to me a letter written with brain, but not heart. Oh Iggy, why don't you care, I mean, really care?
http://intensedebate.com/people/YYZ YYZ

No disagreement from me on that point.
http://intensedebate.com/people/s_c_f s_c_f

finally… unfortunately, from my elected leaders I don't appreciate them to be figuring things out halfway through their second term, they should know the facts when they get elected.
Amateur Hour

Any more so than the failed policies of Canada's Conservative Government? Your argument is weird.
http://intensedebate.com/people/YYZ YYZ

And I'm with you and camp harper on this one.
http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Hmm….Chamber of Commerce is just a lobby group.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

It's a terrible thing when the economy dries up all your profit, isn't it? Not making any money at all, some businesses are, and many are suffering losses right now. Those who were prudent with the profits of the past can ride out this period and come back to profitability. Fortunately, if you don't make any money you don't pay any taxes. But you know what would be really silly during this time of hanging on? Having to pay MORE to keep your employees!
http://intensedebate.com/people/YYZ YYZ

You're saying a new tax will create jobs?

On your job creation point – the consensus of everyone EXCEPT Hudak is that it will create jobs. For many small business owners, like my Dad, he will now be eligible for a 13% rebate instead of a 5% rebate.

Your calculations are the worst fuzzy math I've ever seen. OK.

All this debt accumulation that has supposedly financially crippled Ontario's fiscal situation has come as we've shelled out billions in transfer payments to other provinces. I'm not challenging you on Quebec…but Ontario's fiscal shape is either not or just barely worse than Canada's overall position, and if Ontario hadn't spent the last two decades funding other provinces, it would be better.
http://intensedebate.com/people/s_c_f s_c_f

Yes, I agree, Ontario's fiscal position is worse in part thanks to the ongoing handouts to the maritimes and Quebec for decades. Not only that, Ontario's health systems and other public services are in worse shape than that of the maritimes and Quebec.