Delegates from hundreds of chambers of commerce across Canada have endorsed a call for “genuine consultation” on the federal government’s tax proposals, at the Canadian Chamber’s annual policy conference held in Fredericton, NB.

Conference delegates opted to move up a late-stage resolution calling on the government to extend its 75-day consultation period and to establish an independent commission to recommend ways to modernize and simplify Canada’s tax laws. This resolution passed with 98.8 per cent support.

Small businesses and family farms

“This isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about the survival of tens of thousands of small businesses and family farms across Canada,” said the Hon. Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber in a statement issued Sept. 25. “Small businesses are the largest employers in Canada. The products and services they provide and the taxes they pay are responsible for our country’s standard of living. It is our obligation to protect their growth. When provincial governments of all different affiliations and hundreds of tax professionals all express their concerns, it’s time for the government to listen.” 

For more on this issue, read this article from the August/September issue of The Insurance and Investment Journal.