Liberals and tax cuts

This morning Jason touches on how the Conservatives are attempting to control the media message on tax cuts, and how the media are falling for it. Unfortunately, our collective memories, and attention to details, are pretty short.

After all, trying to claim the Liberals are anti-tax cuts doesn't coincide at all with the reality of the past 10-plus years. It's just not true. After the Chretien/Martin Liberals balanced the budget, they brought in some of the largest income tax and other tax cuts in Canadian history.

Liberals favour tax cuts. But what we favour are smart tax cuts, that will spur economic growth, improve competitiveness, and will benefit those that actually need the help. What we oppose are tax cuts that disproportionately favour the wealthy, like the Harper GST cut. And we oppose using tax credits in attempts to buy the votes of specific demographics, needlessly complicating the tax code.

And, speaking of the Harper GST cut, lets not forget it was the Harper/Flaherty Conservatives that REVERSED Liberal income tax cuts. I'm paying more income tax under the Conservatives than I did under the Liberals.

The Liberals also favour a balanced approach. Rather than cutting the GST by a further one per cent, wouldn't it be better to dedicate the $5 billion that would cost to fighting child poverty, as Stephane Dion proposed during the leadership campaign?

Once again, just like on its justice legislation and a host of other issues, the Conservatives are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Canadians and hide the facts of the record. We shouldn't let them get away with it.

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers