June 30, 2025 - "The Canadian government is rescinding its digital services tax to avoid stalling trade talks with the United States, two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would end negotiations over the levy. Ottawa says that removing the tax will put Canada back on track to reach a trade deal with the United States by July 21.
"Trump said on June 27 that he is ending all trade negotiations with Canada over Canada’s digital services tax (DST), which would impact U.S.-based tech companies such as Amazon, Google, and Netflix.... The DST imposed a 3 percent tax on revenue that tech companies earn from digital services provided to Canadian users. It was scheduled to go into effect on June 30, and was retroactive to 2022, leaving U.S. tech companies with a $2 billion bill to pay by the end of June. The Canadian tax had been an irritant to both the Biden and Trump administrations....
"The Trump administration has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian products, though goods falling under the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement have been exempted. Washington has also imposed blanket tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.... Ottawa has been seeking new trade negotiations with the United States to minimize U.S. tariffs. In announcing the removal of the DST, Canadian Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne said the move would allow trade negotiations with the United States to go forward....
"Champagne had insisted up until recently that Ottawa wouldn’t be putting the tax on hold, after pressure from Canadian and U.S. business groups as well as U.S. politicians to remove the tax. Canada’s Liberal government had said that the tax is in line with similar measures from a number of other countries, and that corporations should pay their 'fair share' of taxes in Canada.
The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated that the tax would bring in $7.2 billion over five years in revenue for Ottawa."
The U.S. government abruptly broke off trade negotiations with Canada after the Carney government announced it was going forward with its Digital Services Tax, aimed at U.S. companies who operate online in Canada.
June 27, 2025 - "U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cut off all trade negotiations with Canada on Friday, citing Ottawa’s Digital Services Tax (DST) for the decision. The tax, enacted last June, targets U.S. technology companies that operate in Canada but pay little tax here. Under the new tax regime, the first payments are set to be collected on Monday, June 30....
"Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government enacted Canada’s Digital Services Tax Act in June 2024.... The federal tax is applicable to large businesses — both foreign and domestic — that meet two specific criteria: a total global revenue of €750 million and up, and over $20 million of profits earned in Canada annually. The legislation levies a three per cent tax on digital services revenue over $20 million, and is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022.... Taxable revenue includes those of online marketplaces, digital advertising, social media, and user data — which will primarily affect American Big Tech giants such as Amazon.com, Inc., Apple Inc., and Meta Platforms, Inc.
"Under the DST, companies were required to register with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by Jan. 31, 2025 and are obligated to file their first DST returns on June 30, 2025. The CRA has said that more than 500 companies have already applied to register for DST purposes, and expects more than 100 companies to pay the tax. If applicable companies fail to register with the agency, they could be fined $20,000 per year. If they fail to file a DST return, Canada could dole out a penalty equal to five per cent of the unpaid tax for the year, plus one per cent of the unpaid tax for the year for each month, not exceeding 12 months, in which the return hasn’t been filed....
"The legislation however, has come under fire from business groups on both sides of the border, with critics warning that the rules could further inflame Canada-U.S. ties. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has argued that the tax could increase costs for consumers and risks 'damaging our beneficial and lucrative trade relationship with the U.S.' The U.S. meanwhile, has long denounced Canada’s proposed rules, claiming that they unfairly discriminate against American firms. Last August, under the former Biden administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launched dispute settlement consultations with Ottawa under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement over the DST....
"Tech giant Google LLC responded to Canada’s digital services tax rules by introducing an additional 2.5 per cent fee for ads shown in Canada starting in October 2024. Called the 'Canada DST Fee,' Google said the surcharges will “cover part of the costs of complying with DST legislation in Canada'....
"Around half of all European OECD countries have announced, proposed, or implemented a DST, according to the Tax Foundation Europe. The U.S. has met those proposals with threats of retaliatory tariffs. Some countries’ DST regimes could be on the chopping block. France’s Council of State, which advises the government on the preparation of bills and other matters, recently referred the country’s DST to the Constitutional Council for review, marking the first constitutional challenge to the DST since the legislation passed in 2019.
"For months, executives of U.S. tech giants have pressured American policymakers over Canada’s DST. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Canadian business groups have also pressed the Carney government to abandon the DST. And while businesses and industry groups were holding out for a last-minute suspension of the DST, finance minister François-Philippe Champagne reconfirmed last Thursday that Canada is 'going ahead' with the tax. 'The (DST) is in force and it’s going to be applied,” he said.... 'Obviously, all of that is something that we’re considering as part of broader discussions that you may have,' Champagne said last week, suggesting that the DST could be renegotiated given the ongoing trade talks between Canada and the U.S."
May 5, 2025 -"President Trump has proposed using the revenue from his increased tariffs to lower or even eliminate income taxes — with a priority on removing Americans making less than 200,000 dollars a year from the tax rolls. Exempting more Americans from income taxes — and lowering taxes on other Americans— is certainly a worthwhile endeavor. However, replacing income taxes with tariffs may have negative consequences for the very Americans President Trump wants to help.
"Replacing with tariffs what the government raises from income taxes may require raising tariffs even higher than President Trump’s 'liberation' tariffs. This would cause more price increases and encourage other governments to retaliate by raising their tariffs, further disrupting supply chains and leading to even higher prices and shortages. The negative impacts of tariffs could dwarf the benefits of lower, or even no, income taxes.
"Consumers can try to avoid tariffs on goods. Massive avoidance of tariffs could lead to the imposing of higher tariffs or new taxes. The reason politicians must play the game of 'offsetting' tax reductions with tax increases is they refuse to make meaningful reductions in government spending. The politicians’ favorite tax is the Federal Reserve’s inflation tax because it is hidden. It is also regressive, making it the worst type of tax.
"The media and big spenders in both parties are screaming about how President Trump’s budget proposal contains large reductions in federal spending. However, even if all of President Trump’s 163 billion dollars of proposed cuts are enacted in law, the federal government will still spend about 1.7 trillion dollars next year in its 'discretionary' budget. The cuts would be less than eight percent.
"While President Trump is proposing many necessary cuts in federal agencies and programs, including those concerning the use of taxpayer money to promote 'wokeness,' his budget increases military spending to around a trillion dollars. It also makes no changes to Social Security or Medicare. This means President Trump’s supposed radical spending plan does not reduce spending on three of the four largest items in the federal budget. The fourth is interest payments on the national debt, which Congress cannot reduce except by cutting spending.
"Of course, it is unlikely that all, or even most, of President Trump’s spending cuts will be enacted into law. Prominent Republicans have already announced opposition to some of President Trump’s spending cuts. Some Republican defense hawks, including the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have criticized President Trump’s budget plan for not spending enough on the military!
"The truth is that, if the president and Congress were serious about cutting spending, they would start by slashing the Pentagon’s budget. Very little of the military spending actually goes to defending the American people. Instead, much military spending goes to maintaining a global empire and lining the pockets of the military-industrial complex. Does anyone believe the safety of Americans depends on the US government maintaining over 700 military bases abroad?
"The fiscal crisis facing America is rooted in a larger philosophic crisis. Too many Americans have embraced the notion that the US government has the moral right and competence to run the economy, run the world, and even run our lives. This system will not change until a critical mass of people embrace the ideas of liberty. Those of us who know the truth must do all we can to spread the message of liberty, peace, and prosperity."
With a federal general election called on Sunday for April 28, both Liberal and Conservative parties launched their campaigns with a promise to cut the federal income tax.
March 23, 2025 - "Liberal Leader Mark Carney has triggered an early election with a short 36-day campaign that’s expected to revolve around the economy and threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. Canadians go to the polls April 28." https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6695655
March 23, 2025 - "Today, Mark Carney launched the 2025 Liberal campaign by announcing a middle-class tax cut that will help Canadians keep more of what they earn and build a stronger Canada in the face of President Trump’s tariffs.... This middle-class tax cut will save two-income families up to $825 a year, by reducing the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by 1 percentage point. More than 22 million Canadians will benefit directly from this tax cut, and middle- and low-income Canadians will benefit the most....
“'So many Canadians are doing everything right. They’ve worked hard, secured a good job, and saved for the future. But often, it’s not enough,' added Mr. Carney. 'My new government will focus on helping hard-working Canadians keep more of their paychecks to spend where it matters most: on homes, groceries, and their families. Every Canadian should be able to afford necessities, feel secure, and get ahead financially – and this tax cut will help them do that.'” Read more: https://liberal.ca/liberals-launch-2025-campaign-with-middle-class-tax-cut/
March 24, 2025 - "Today, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre launched his campaign to put Canada First and make life more affordable for Canadians. Poilievre announced he will cut income tax by 15%, dropping the tax rate on the lowest income tax bracket from 15% to 12.75%, meaning the average Canadian worker earning $57,000 will save $900, with two income families saving $1,800 a year. It’s time to let Canadians keep more of what they earn....
"Poilievre’s income tax cut is part of the broader Conservative Bring It Home Tax Cut on work, investment, energy and homebuilding. Conservative tax cuts will create jobs for Canadians and help build Canada’s economic fortress against American threats. It will allow consumers to spend more money supporting local businesses while rewarding hard work that makes everyone better off.... Let’s bring it home and put Canada first – for a change!" Read more: https://www.conservative.ca/poilievre-to-cut-income-tax-by-15-for-the-average-canadian/
March 24, 2025 - "This morning, Pierre Poilievre announced a tax plan that he says is about 'average Canadians.' What he doesn’t say is that the richest people benefit the most. Just like Carney’s proposal, the income tax cut is so broad that it helps millionaires and billionaires....
"We have a simple goal: taxes that work for people, not profiteers. In the coming weeks, we’ll announce our new tax plan. It will put thousands of dollars back into working people’s pockets. This will be the biggest change to income tax in generations." Read more: https://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-plans/fair-taxation
January 1, 2025 - "Canadians are facing a series of tax increases in 2025, according to a report released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). The hikes include higher payroll contributions, increased carbon taxes, and automatic alcohol tax adjustments....
"'Tax hikes will give Canadians a hangover in the new year,' said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. 'In 2025, the Trudeau government will yet again take more money out of Canadians’ pockets with payroll tax hikes and will make life more expensive by raising carbon taxes and alcohol taxes'....
"Mandatory Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) contributions will increase in 2025. The changes will cost workers up to $403 more annually, with federal payroll taxes totaling $5,507 for individuals earning $81,200 or more. Employers will also see their share rise to $5,938 per employee....
"The federal carbon tax is set to rise on April 1, increasing to about 21 cents per litre of gasoline, 25 cents per litre of diesel, and 18 cents per cubic metre of natural gas. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the tax will cost the average household between $133 and $477 in 2025-26, even after accounting for rebates....
"Alcohol taxes will increase by 2% on April 1 under the federal alcohol escalator tax. The automatic annual tax hike, introduced in the 2017 federal budget, has cost taxpayers more than $900 million since its implementation, according to Beer Canada. The 2025 increase is expected to add another $40.9 million to that total....
"In a move to provide some relief, the federal government announced a two-month sales tax holiday on specific items, including pre-made groceries, children’s clothing, and snacks. The holiday ... ends on Feb. 15....
"The report also highlights recent tax changes introduced in Budget 2024, such as increases in [income subject to] capital gains taxes and the implementation of a digital services tax and an online streaming tax."
April 17, 2024 - "The Liberal government’s 2024 federal budget has sent shockwaves through Canada’s tech sector, with sweeping increases to capital gains taxes being the main cause for concern. Leaders within the industry are voicing criticism at the Liberals, suggesting that further taxation could drive businesses and talent south of the border. The budget, delivered by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, raises the inclusion rate for capital gains tax from 50% to 66% for individuals on amounts exceeding $250,000. The amendments to the Income Tax Act will come into effect on June 25, 2024. The Liberals expect to make $19.4 billion over the next five years from [the move]....
"Benjamin Bergen, president of the Council of Canadian Innovators, explained in his organization’s response to the budget that the best way for the government to boost its revenue is to drive economic growth and productivity gains by helping Canada’s innovators. 'We hope that Minister Freeland and the Liberal government will listen to innovators and adjust this proposed tax hike before they do irreparable harm to the Canadian innovation economy,' he said....
"Local entrepreneur Boris Wertz ... felt that the Liberals had 'lost their plot on innovation and entrepreneurship.' His biggest concerns were 'trying to pick winners (e.g. superclusters); proposing very rigid AI regulations; dramatic increase of number of public sector employees; (and) increasing capital gain rate.' The budget promises to invest $2.4 billion in AI support, $5.1 million of which will be dedicated toward the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act — ensuring that AI is 'safe and non-discriminatory,' according to the Liberal government....
"Kim Furlong, CEO of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, said that her organization is 'baffled' by the Liberals’ decision to increase the capital gains tax. 'This measure, which effectively taxes innovation and risk-taking, will significantly dampen Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit, stifle economic growth in critical sectors of our economy, and impact job creation. Such policy change undermines Canada’s position to attract the talent needed to grow and scale companies here,' she said. 'CVCA will work tirelessly to reverse this decision,' said Furlong.
"The founder of a venture capital firm, Christian Lassonde, said that Canada is desperate for new investment dollars. 'What does this government do? Punish investing. You can’t make this stuff up,' he wrote in a post to X.
"President and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Dan Kelly, said that the capital gains tax changes will demotivate Canadians from starting businesses in the first place. 'Several sectors of Canada’s (small and medium enterprises) community will be hit with higher capital gain taxes on business sales above $2.25 million, including restaurants, hotels, doctors’ offices, insurance brokers, real estate firms, recreation and arts and recreation firms,' said Kelly in a post to X.
"Armon Shokravi, co-founder of a software development business, explained in a post to X that the tax changes, of an inclusion rate from 50 to 66%, would increase the net capital gains tax from 27% to 36%, compared to the United States, who have a tax rate of 20%. 'In my conversations with Canadian entrepreneurs, it’s clear: They’re feeling less motivated to build businesses here when moving just a bit south could mean saving a lot more,' he said.....
"Independent MP Kevin Vuong shared a text message from a local business owner. The former founder, who works in the tech sector, said that they and their partner sat down last night and began the process of moving to the United States. 'We’re leaving to a country that celebrates entrepreneurs and innovation,' they said. 'The world is too competitive for talent and Canada is not competitive anymore.'
April 16, 2024 - "Time and time again, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland have emphasized the importance of being fiscally responsible with federal finances. Unfortunately, this year’s federal budget ensures once again their rhetoric rings hollow due to their ongoing mismanagement of federal finances. This mismanagement is rooted in the government’s insatiable appetite for new and expanded programs or services, which has endured for nine years and will continue for the foreseeable future.
"The budget introduces billions of dollars in additional spending for a national school food program, housing initiatives and artificial intelligence. As such, program spending (total spending minus debt interest costs) is now expected to be $77.2 billion higher over the next four years than the government forecasted last spring. In 2024/25 alone, federal program spending will reach a projected $483.6 billion—an increase of $16.1 billion compared to the previous budget’s estimates.... The Trudeau government has already recorded the five (2018 to 2022) highest levels of federal program spending per person in Canadian history (inflation-adjusted).... This is despite recent polling data that shows the majority of Canadians (59 per cent) think the Trudeau government is spending too much. Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of Canadians are also concerned about the size of the federal deficit.
"As it has done nine times before, the Trudeau government will borrow to fund some of its spending spree, resulting in a projected budget deficit of $39.8 billion this year, which is $4.8 billion higher than previously forecasted. And it doesn’t intend to stop borrowing, with annual deficits exceeding $20 billion planned for the subsequent four years.... Simply put, there’s no plan for a return to balanced budgets any time soon. As a result, federal debt (net debt minus non-financial assets) is expected to climb $156.2 billion from now until April 2029....
"Growing federal debt leads to higher debt interest costs, all else equal, which eat up taxpayer dollars that could otherwise have provided services or tax relief for Canadians. For context, the government now spends more ($54.1 billion) on debt interest as on health-care transfers to the provinces ($52.1 billion). Accumulating debt today also increases the tax burden on future generations of Canadians who are ultimately responsible for paying off this debt. Research suggests this effect could be disproportionate, with future generations needing to pay back a dollar borrowed today with more than one dollar in future taxes....
"But again, it didn’t have to be this way.... [H]ad the government simply limited the growth in annual program spending to 0.3 per cent for two years, it could have balanced the budget by 2026/27.... Instead, the government chose to increase annual program spending by an average of 4.4 per cent over the next two years and kick the debt problem down the road for another government to solve.
"Yet for all this spending and debt, living standards have not improved for Canadians. In fact, inflation-adjusted GDP per person was actually lower at the end of 2023 than it was nine years prior in 2014. And going forward, the OECD predicts Canada will record the lowest growth rates in per-person GDP up to 2060 of any industrialized country....
"The combination of tax hikes and scale of spending and debt in this year’s federal budget demonstrate the Trudeau government has no interest in being fiscally responsible or improving living standards for Canadians. Instead of showing restraint, the government chose to repeat its mistakes and lead federal finances down an increasingly perilous path."
January 3, 2024 - "Nearly every Canadian will pay higher federal income taxes in 2024, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). The federally incorporated, not-for-profit citizen’s group released its annual report on Tuesday highlighting the varied tax changes across Canada.... Citing data from the Fraser Institute, the report notes that the average Canadian family pays 46.1 per cent of its budget in taxes after adding up income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes and all other taxes.
In 2024, the maximum pensionable earnings subject to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) tax will increase, resulting in higher CPP contributions for both employers and employees. They will each pay $3,867, marking a $113 increase from the previous year for earnings of $68,500 or more.
Additionally, a new CPP2 tax will be introduced and applied to earnings between $68,500 and $73,200, with a maximum tax amount of $188. For those earning $73,200 or above, the total CPP contribution (including CPP and CPP2) will rise to approximately $4,055, an overall increase of $301....
In 2024, both the Employment Insurance (EI) tax rate and maximum insurable earnings in Canada will increase. Employees will pay $1,049 and employers $1,469 for EI. This is a rise of $47 for employees and $66 for employers, for those earning $63,200 or more.... Consequently, total federal payroll taxes (CPP and EI) will amount to $5,104 for workers earning $73,200 or above in 2024, while employers will be on the hook for $5,524.
Canada’s federal carbon tax will rise from $65 to $80 per tonne on April 1, 2024, increasing the carbon tax rate per litre of gas. This means a higher cost for fueling vehicles, with a family filling a 70-litre minivan expected to pay about $12.32 more per fill-up. Most provinces and territories will be subject to this increased rate, except Quebec. The government suggests a net benefit for families with rebates, but a Parliamentary Budget Officer report shows the carbon tax will cost the average household between $377 and $911 in 2024-25, even after the rebates.
A second carbon tax for fuel producers, introduced last year, could further raise fuel prices if producers don’t meet the requirements of the regulations. Citing the PBO’s analysis, the second carbon tax is expected to increase the price of gas by up to 17 cents per litre and cost the average household between $384 and $1,157 annually by 2030....
Beginning on April 1, 2024, Canadians will pay more for beer, wine and spirits. The 'alcohol escalator tax' will increase excise taxes in line with inflation. The escalator tax will see a 4.7 per cent rise in federal excise tax on these beverages, resulting in an estimated additional cost of about $100 million to taxpayers for the 2024-25 period. Per CTF, taxes already account for about half of the price of beer, 65 per cent of the price of wine and more than three quarters of the price of spirits.
Introduced last November, Canada’s new Digital Services Tax (DST) legislation is aimed at large online companies that host and generate marketplaces, social media platforms and online advertising revenue, like Google and Facebook. A previous PBO estimate found that DST will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion in 2024, but that revenue estimate depends on when the tax is implemented. Consumers should also expect to pay higher prices due to DST."
November 8, 2023 - "Alberta Premier Danielle Smith confirmed her government has followed through on passing the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act. '
"Promise kept,' tweeted Smith on Wednesday [November 8]. 'Bill 1 has passed in the legislature, ensuring families and business are protected from future tax hikes without a referendum'.... Smith signed the No Tax Hike Guarantee in April, promising not to increase personal or business taxes if re-elected [see video].
“'The current Taxpayer Protection Act already provides protection against the introduction of a provincial sales tax,' she said. 'But under a UCP (United Conservative Party) government, we will expand the act to include personal and corporate income taxes so no government can increase them without approval from Albertans through a referendum.' The Alberta government introduced [the] legislation ... on October 30....
"Alberta Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner said he was happy to share the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act passed..... With the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act, Horner said Alberta’s tax advantage has been kept.
"The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) applauded the Alberta government for strengthening the Taxpayer Protection Act. 'The Taxpayer Protection Act is one of the strongest laws protecting taxpayers in North America, and it’s the reason we don’t have a PST,' said CTF Alberta Director Kris Sims.... [S]he said it will set the province apart when it comes to respecting taxpayers’ money."
Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe says that, if the Trudeau government does not exempt all home heating bills from its its carbon tax by January 1, provincial utilities will stop collecting it.
October 30, 2023 - "Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the province will stop collecting the carbon tax on home heating starting January 1 unless the Trudeau government gives a carbon tax break similar to what Atlantic Canada was given last week.... Moe published a video with his tweet explaining his reasons....
“'Prime Minister Trudeau announced a three-year exemption on the carbon tax for home heating. This exemption is primarily for families in Atlantic Canada, where heating oil is used in 40% of their homes,” said Moe. 'And making this announcement, the prime minister effectively destroyed two of the myths that he has created about the carbon tax.
First is that the carbon tax is affordable because most Canadians receive more back in rebates than they pay in carbon tax. If that were true, why would he need to remove it as an affordability measure? On home heating oil for families in Atlantic Canada?
And the second myth is that it's a tax being applied fairly in all parts of the country based on a set rate per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. Home heating oil is used primarily in one part of the country, and it has higher greenhouse gas emissions than other heat sources like natural gas, that is used in most Saskatchewan homes....
"Moe attacked how Trudeau runs the country after the Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings said over the weekend that if the rest of Canada wants a carbon tax rebate, they should elect more Liberals. 'And now, a federal minister has said if people a West want a carbon tax exemption, we should elect more liberals,' said Moe. 'This is no way to run a country....
"'I am calling on the federal government to offer the same carbon tax exemption to Saskatchewan families by extending it to all forms of home heating, not just heating oil. It's only fair to other Saskatchewan and Canadian families,” said Moe. 'Hopefully, that exemption will be provided soon. But if not effective January the first, Sask Energy will stop collecting and submitting the carbon tax on natural gas, effectively providing Saskatchewan residents with the very same exemption that the federal government is giving heating oil in Atlantic Canada.'” Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/breaking-moe-to-stop-collecting-carbon-tax-on-home-heating-jan-1-if-trudeau-doesnt-give-sask-break/49808
November 30, 2023 - "Premier Scott Moe said the Saskatchewan government is making the carbon tax exemption on home heating broader to include electrical heating as well. Moe had previously announced the government instructed SaskEnergy to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas bills starting January 1 unless the federal government extends the carbon tax exemption to cover all forms of home heating. The provincial government has also introduced legislation intending to remove the carbon tax from SaskPower bills for homes heated with electricity....
"Thursday, Moe announced his government plans to eliminate the carbon tax on electric home heating in the upcoming year if the federal government does not extend the exemption. 'Our government was able to make the decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas because you, the Saskatchewan people, own the natural gas utility, SaskEnergy,' Moe said in the video. 'Well, we also own the electrical utility and that’s why our government has decided that SaskPower will also stop collecting the carbon tax on electric heat effective January 1'.... Moe explained the government will need to determine who relies on electric heating and estimate the portion of their power bills that goes towards heating."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/sask-govt-to-stop-collecting-carbon-tax-on-home-electric-heating/50656
Saskatchewan's Response to Atlantic Canada's Carbon Tax Exemption | Premier Scott Moe | October 30, 2023:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's attempt to shore up his plummeting support in Atlantic Canada, by offering selective exemptions to his signature carbon tax, appears to have backfired.
October 26, 2023 - "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there will be changes to the carbon tax to help people in rural areas and those who use heating oil to heat their homes.... Trudeau made the announcement after the Liberals support in the Atlantic provinces plummeted in recent polls, a traditional stronghold for the Liberals. On Thursday afternoon, Trudeau said people living in rural areas will get a bigger carbon tax rebate. There will be no carbon tax on home heating oil for three years. Also, people who change their heating to use heat pumps will become part of a lucrative rebate program.
"Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre accused Trudeau of 'flipping and flopping on the carbon tax' because the Liberals support plummeted in the polls.... The Liberals have taken a major hit in support in Atlantic Canada since the carbon tax started in July for Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick because the provincial programs did not meet the federal carbon tax requirements....
November 3, 2023 - "Opposition motions in the House of Commons are usually little more than political theatre.... The motion being considered in Parliament next week is different.... The motion put forth by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre ... calls for pausing the application of the carbon tax for all forms of home heating in Canada. From a tactical perspective, the motion is a political masterstroke. No matter which way the motion goes, Trudeau loses.
"The irony of this hopeless political trap is that Trudeau set it himself when he carved out a carbon tax exemption for homes using heating oil. Rather than bolstering his flagging support in Atlantic Canada with the move, Trudeau has created a political catastrophe for himself and his party.
"Since becoming prime minister in 2015, Trudeau has made fighting climate change his top focus. He has framed climate change as an existential threat to the world and created an ever-increasing carbon tax as his tool to reduce Canadian emissions. He has stood firm through political opposition and court battles against the tax, and the tax has become his signature policy.... If indeed the carbon tax is essential in saving the world from climate change, how on earth could Trudeau selectively apply it in good conscience? In suspending the tax for a region where he needs to garner political support, he is saying political expediency is more important than fighting climate change.
"The regionally targeted suspension of the carbon tax did manage to unify some regions and political figures that usually don’t agree on many things. Calls for the suspension of the carbon tax on all forms of home heating have erupted across the country, from B.C.’s NDP government to Alberta’s UCP government to Ontario’s PC government. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and former premier Rachel Notley are typically mortal political enemies but they are united in calling for the suspension of the carbon tax on natural gas heat.... Trudeau must be very concerned with the commitment of federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to support Poilievre’s motion to suspend the carbon tax....
"The rumblings within the Liberal Party are getting louder. Potential Liberal leadership contender Mark Carney recently sounded as if he was going into campaign mode as he questioned the Liberal path on the carbon tax. Liberal-appointed senator and elder statesman Percy Downe was more blunt as he called for Trudeau’s resignation before the next election. There are many Liberal MPs from regions where natural gas heating is common, and their constituents will not be impressed as their heating costs rise due to the carbon tax while other regions get a pass."
August 22, 2023 - "The Canadian Consumer Tax Index tracks the total tax bill of the average Canadian family from 1961 to 2022. Including all types of taxes, that bill has increased by 2,778% since 1961.
Taxes have grown much more rapidly than any other single expenditure for the average Canadian family: expenditures on shelter increased by 1,880%, food by 870%, and clothing by 654% from 1961 to 2022.
The 2,778% increase in the tax bill has also greatly outpaced the increase in the Consumer Price Index (863%), which measures the average price that consumers pay for food, shelter, clothing, transportation, health and personal care, education, and other items.
The average Canadian family now spends more of its income on taxes (45.3%) than it does on basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing combined (35.6%). By comparison, 33.5% of the average family’s income went to pay taxes in 1961 while 56.5% went to basic necessities.
In 2022, the average Canadian family earned an income of $106,430 and paid total taxes equaling $48,199 (45.3%). In 1961, the average family had an income of $5,000 and paid a total tax bill of $1,675 (33.5%).
The Fraser Institute is an independent, non-partisan research and educational organization based in Canada. We have offices in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Backlash against the federal Liberal carbon tax fueled a landslide Progressive Conservative victory in a Nova Scotia seat the provincial Liberals have held for 20 years.
August 10, 2023 - "In what could be a troubling sign for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a byelection this week in Nova Scotia, fraught with debate about the carbon tax and the state of the Liberal brand, ended in a once-safe provincial Liberal seat being lost in a landslide.... The riding of Preston had been held by the Nova Scotia Liberals for the last 20 years, but the byelection saw their support collapse with the Liberal candidate placing third behind the Progressive Conservative [PC] winner and the NDP runner-up.
"The Progressive Conservatives heavily focused on criticizing what they described as the 'Liberal carbon tax,' which PC Premier Tim Houston has been vocally opposed to....
"There have increasingly been signs that Atlantic Canada, which was a stronghold for the Liberals in the 2015 election and has mostly stayed red since, is wavering. A recent poll by Abacus Data found the Liberals in the unenviable spot of lagging behind in all regions of the country, with the Conservatives leading in Atlantic Canada and the Bloc Québécois leading in Quebec.... And as ire on the east coast about the carbon tax mixes with general frustration about inflation and the cost of living, the Conservatives could see an opportunity to tear down the Liberal 'red wall' in the Atlantic provinces....
"David Tarrant lauds Twila Gross, the PC challenger in Preston, for a strong campaign but says external factors also helped turn Preston’s voters against the Liberals.... 'This summer for the first time, Nova Scotians felt the full vice of the Trudeau Liberal carbon tax, with immense pressure and pain to peoples’ cost of living, and the rather indifferent response from the federal government and the prime minister has massively damaged the Liberal brand in Nova Scotia.'
"A recent Nanos Research poll found 73 percent of Canadians surveyed in Atlantic Canada believe it is the wrong time to implement a carbon tax. Canada-wide, the poll found just 32 percent of Canadians surveyed believe carbon taxes are an effective way to reduce carbon emissions.
"Unlike the Ontario Liberals, who are operationally independent of the federal Liberals despite strong grassroots ties, the Nova Scotia Liberals are an official branch of the federal party.... Tarrant says Preston’s voters did not differentiate between the provincial and federal Liberal parties when it came to their frustrations about the carbon tax....
"Tarrant says the negative reaction to the federal carbon tax will be felt in all parts of Canada, with the exceptions of B.C. and Quebec which implemented their own provincial carbon taxes years ago. 'In every other part of the country, ... the number one drag on the LPC right now is the carbon tax,' says Tarrant. 'It’s gonna cost them seats… [I]f I’m a provincial Liberal, one of my big strategic dilemmas is how do I separate myself from the national party?'"
After the county government seized and sold her condo for $40,000 – and kept all the money – over a $2,300 tax bill, 94-year-old Georgina Tyler spent years arguing that it was an unconstitutional taking of property. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed with her.
May 25, 2023 - "When local bureaucrats in Hennepin County, Minnesota, seized an elderly woman's home over a small tax debt, sold it, and kept the profit, they likely had no idea they would set in motion a series of events that would cripple the practice known as 'home equity theft' across the country. Yet that's what happened. The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled that the government violated the Constitution when it took possession of Geraldine Tyler's condo over an overdue property tax bill, auctioned the home, and pocketed the proceeds in excess of what she actually owed.
"Tyler, who is now 94 years old, purchased the Minneapolis-area condo in 1999. But a series of events, including a neighborhood shooting, prompted her to relocate to a retirement community in 2010, at which point it became difficult for her to pay both her new rent and the property taxes on her former home. She accrued a $2,300 tax bill, which turned into an approximately $15,000 bill after the government added on $13,000 in penalties, interest, and fees. Local officials then sold the home for $40,000 — and kept the remaining $25,000.
"Tyler spent years arguing that such a taking was unconstitutional. But ... she had no such luck in the lower courts. When her case went before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, its ruling was also unanimous — in favor of the government.... The Supreme Court forcefully overturned that decision today. 'A taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the State to fulfill a $15,000 tax debt has made a far greater contribution to the public fisc than she owed,' wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the Court. 'The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but no more.'
"At the heart of the case is the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which stipulates that 'private property [shall not] be taken for public use without just compensation.' In explaining the justices' decision, Roberts traced the spirit of the law back to the Magna Carta, then to English law, and ultimately to the States, buttressed by several Supreme Court precedents which, as Roberts wrote, 'have also recognized the principle that a taxpayer is entitled to the surplus in excess of the debt owed.'
"Tyler is far from the only victim of this practice. Home equity theft is legal in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, and the District of Columbia, although today's ruling should hamstring those forfeiture schemes. How home equity theft has been executed across those states varies widely, although the life-wrecking consequences remain consistent.
"In Nebraska, for example, local governments sell tax debt to private investors behind a homeowner's back. The homeowner eventually receives a letter, after three years have gone by, giving them 90 days to satisfy the full tax burden, which has continued accruing over those three years, along with 14 percent interest and additional fees.... 'In Nebraska…people are shocked about how the law actually operates,' Jennifer Gaughan, chief of legal strategy at Legal Aid of Nebraska, told me in January. "It's usually elderly people, people who own their homes outright who don't have a mortgage, and there's usually some kind of intervening situation'....
"Prior to oral arguments before the Supreme Court last month, a cross-ideological coalition of organizations assembled in favor of Tyler. Few things are transpartisan these days. But it took a 94-year-old woman and a nearly 10-year crusade to establish the obvious: that the government should not be able to steal home equity from its own citizens."
December 28, 2022 - "The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has sounded the alarm about five incoming tax hikes in 2023. Tax hikes will include a carbon tax increase, an alcohol escalator tax, hikes to Employment Insurance and more, according to the report New Year’s Tax Changes.
"'Tax hikes will give Canadians a hangover in the new year,” said CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano. 'Canadians can’t afford gas or groceries and the government is making things worse by hiking taxes.'
"The Canada Pension Plan will see increases of up to $225 for employers, meanwhile Employment Insurance contributions will go up about $50 for workers and $70 for employers. On average Canadians can expect to pay payroll taxes of up to $4,756 a year beginning next year.
"'The federal government is raising the basic personal amount for income taxes. However, because of the payroll tax hikes, anyone making $40,000 or more in 2023 will pay higher federal income-based taxes than in 2022,' the CTF explained in a press release.
"Two carbon tax hikes will also be in effect. The federal carbon tax will go up by 14 cents per litre of gas beginning on April 1, 2023 costing households up to $847 with rebates taken into account. Beginning on July 1, 2023 the Liberal fuel regulation carbon tax will go into effect charing up to 13 cents per litre by 2030....
"Additionally, taxes on alcohol will go up by 6.3% in April of next year. While touring eastern Canada, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre blasted the Liberal government over the alcohol tax.... 'So, if the carbon tax is enough to drive you to drink, well you’ll pay more tax when you do that too,' said Poilievre while at a local brewery."
March 29, 2022 - "In December 2019, when Joe Biden, still campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, released his tax plan, much of the coverage focused on the contrast between his comparatively [moderate] plan and the plans issued by his more progressive rivals. A CNBC report on his plan was labeled 'wealth tax wars. A Washington Post headline noted that Biden's $3.2 trillion tax plan highlighted 'divisions' with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.). Among the starkest of those divisions was that the former vice president had rejected calls by Warren and Sanders to back a wealth tax on the richest Americans.
"On the campaign trail, Biden himself played up that contrast. Among the criticisms lobbed at the Sanders and Warren wealth tax proposals was that they were fundamentally punitive, because they taxed wealth of a small, specific group of individuals. He told a wealthy crowd of supporters in Los Angeles that while they shouldn't expect a tax cut from him, there would be 'no punishment either'.... He complained about divisive tax policy, and rejected the idea of a 'a single tax, on a single group of people'....
"Yet now, as president, Biden has embraced a wealth tax of his own. In his latest budget plan, Biden proposed something the White House has dubbed the 'Billionaire Minimum Income Tax,' which applies to all income, realized and unrealized, for households worth more than $100 million. The Biden administration is framing this as a form of 'prepayment' on future capital gains — which is to say it's a form of taxation on money that someone has not actually seen, based on the value of their holdings. It's not exactly the same as the wealth taxes proposed by Warren and Sanders, but it's designed around the same fundamental idea: the taxation of personal wealth, rather than of cash income, which often takes the form of difficult-to-value assets.
"Most of the same criticisms that applied to the Warren and Sanders plans still apply: Biden's plan probably wouldn't raise nearly as much money as the administration assumes: Wealth taxes are exceptionally difficult and resource-intensive to administer, which is why most OECD countries that have implemented wealth taxes eventually dropped them. It's also quite likely to be unconstitutional. At minimum, if it passed, it would be tied up in court.
"But ... it's not intended to pass, which makes this exercise even more of a charade. Biden's latest wealth tax proposal is part of the White House's annual budget proposal, which is always a sort of wish list rather than a realistic path forward for the budget. Biden's wealth tax, then, is a desperate policy gimmick by a White House struggling with low approval numbers on the economy....
"It's a publicity stunt, however, that tells us something, not only about Biden's leftward drift, but about his comportment as president, given his previously stated opposition to the idea. Biden is willing to make an obvious phony of himself, embracing a policy he knows is punitive, divisive, unworkable, and virtually certain not to pass — and he's willing to do so simply to get attention. Not only is Biden not a moderate, he is evidently not trustworthy either."
“For example, when a cop shoots a black man you focus on the racism… ignoring all the statism / Holding signs, rioting is not about to save him ‘cause you must’ve forgot that that’s the power that you gave them” – “Self Ownership” by BackWordz in 2016. Words by: Eric July.
June 8, 2020 - "Imagine spending the last five years building a band from the ground up and releasing the first album right in the middle of an election cycle ... that has the theme of addressing the political and social landscape while being in opposition to a criminal institution known as the State.... Because the band’s philosophy threatens the institution that is used to fund or enforce the general politics and ideals of people within the scene, the scene defends the State against the band and its members....
"And ... a man that is the same color as the frontman is slowly killed by the same institution you spoke against. But the same people that were defending the State and supported people that wanted to expand its reach, are now concerned with the 'injustices' faced by people that are of the same race of the frontman....
"This conversation went straight to white vs. black or blue vs. black when it should be the State vs. You. At this point, I don’t even care to have these discussions about whether or not the law enforcement disproportionately kills when you account for population, crime rates etc. This issue is not going to be resolved if we can get everybody to be killed at the same rate.... But the national narrative is centered around racism and that alone, so now we have many different people trying to prove that they’re one of the good guys pertaining to how they view black people....
"Putting it bluntly: This is just a show for the most part and none of these actions are actually conducive to resolving the issue of State aggression.... For purposes of this write-up, understand that the State is a territorial monopoly on use of force, violence and ultimate decision making. The law enforcement, from the local level up to the federal level, are the teeth of the State. It’s not going to be Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, or your local representative that enforces the laws; it’s the law enforcers. Because this monopoly exists, they do not play by the same rules as the other people.
"Look no further than George Floyd to see this play out. Three men, with one on his neck, slowly killed him as onlookers pleaded with the cops. They didn’t step in to physically stop the cop. They just pleaded.... So why didn’t the onlookers assist George Floyd and opt to record it instead?... They could be shot. They could face charges in assaulting a police officer ... and ending up also dead or in prison isn’t worth it. Once they see the uniform and the badge, they understand that the State agents are rewarded with a set of protection that simply isn’t offered to the rest of the citizens....
"The cultural issue that nobody wants to really discuss is how people look to the State and their law enforcers as Gods even if they claim to hate them. Just a week ago some of the same people that were marching were lecturing people about how the State must impose a lockdown on the entire country because they were scared of a virus. They had no problem snitching on their neighbors and this economic illiteracy put 40 million or so people out of work, stripping them of their livelihoods much like what happens when businesses are destroyed.
"Who enforced these lockdowns? The same cops that they’re calling bastards. Because the game is rigged, they were able to go-back on everything that they previously lectured us about.... This isn’t unlike the other contradictory positions they have. Many of them support big government welfare statists and advocate for 'free' things such as college and healthcare. All of this is funded by theft and coercion of property through taxation. In the event any individual does not want to pay for said welfare statism who is going to confiscate property forcefully? Local and/or federal law enforcers.... If you advocate for things such as welfare statism or further taxation to pay for the things, what you advocate implies usage of cops in some capacity....
"I’m all for community-based security and privatized, voluntary forms of protection. I do not want something that is only defunded in name or replaced with State law enforcement under a different moniker. But ultimately we are our own first responders. Gun ownership is something that I feel as now necessary more than ever and people, especially black people, are looking to get armed. This has been my recent focus in activism in getting my family and friends trained on how to use guns....
"We can discuss the racist history of gun control in America, but I’d rather focus on the now. These are truly enemies of people and a large part of why I’d never be caught marching alongside these types. Prior to a week ago they wanted me dead, disarmed, taxed to death or ruled over. They are enemies of liberty, and I see these types as merely a rival gang of the cops. Neither are my friends, and I’m not forced to choose a side. In fact, the latter is statistically more likely to kill me than the cops. But every man and woman has the right to defend themselves against all aggressors, including state agents."
November 8, 2019 - "Many Republicans in Washington only seem to take deficit and debt issues seriously when they're out of power, turning in their fiscal hawk cards once their party is back in control. Many Democrats, meanwhile, only feign concern about deficits and debt in the context of opposing tax cuts. They'll back inexorably exploding federal spending to the hilt.... But when their opponents decide to let families, workers and businesses keep more of the money they earn, we're treated to lectures about fiscal prudence.
"The way the tale goes, the GOP-backed tax cuts are for 'the rich,' and they're blowing giant holes in the budget, depriving needy people of critical government services. This is anti-factual nonsense. The tax reform law passed in 2017 cut taxes for every income group of Americans, disproportionately benefiting the middle class....
"We've written previously that the tax cuts are not responsible for the federal government's red ink, including a post about increased tax revenues, in spite of – or perhaps more accurately because of – the lower rates, which helped fuel a strong economy. We now have updated data, and the numbers speak for themselves:
Federal tax revenues rose during the 2019 fiscal year as the economy grew, but spending increased by over $200 billion more, which is why the country ended up running a deficit approaching $1 trillion, according to Congressional Budget Office data released Thursday.... Specifically, in the 2019 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, federal revenues increased by $133 billion (or 4%), but spending spiked by $339 billion (or 8%), driving up the deficit by $205 billion to $984 billion. Spending was driven by a $115 billion spike in the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, an additional $52 billion in interest payments on the national debt, and a $48 billion spike in defense spending.
"[F]ederal tax revenues increased by four percent in 2019, reaching the highest level in American history. Republicans cut taxes (every single Democrat voted no), the economy grew, employment soared, and the federal government is now collecting more money in tax revenues than ever before.
"And yet, that same federal government is running a growing deficit.... Why? It's manifestly not because of the tax cuts. It's because Uncle Sam is spending way too much, with the top drivers of the debt being ... unsustainable and ballooning entitlement programs, and interest payments on the debt. This is basic stuff to people who pay attention to our worsening fiscal mess, but it's diametrically opposed to the rhetoric of leading Democrats."
June 27, 2019 - "For decades, Democrats have tried to frame the abortion question in essentially libertarian terms, as one of opposition to government intruding on personal decisions. But by making support for taxpayer funded abortions their default position, candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination have undermined their ability to make the small government case for abortion rights.
"Libertarians themselves, it should be said, are divided on abortion. For some, the issue is straight forward: If you support limited government, you cannot support restrictions over what women try to do with their bodies. However, libertarians also believe that the primary function of government is to protect the right to life, so to those libertarians who believe an unborn child qualifies as a life, it naturally flows that they'd believe it is legitimate for government to protect that child's life and liberty.
"Reason's Stephanie Slade (a self-described pro-life libertarian) observed that Wednesday night's debate showed, 'that for the 2020 Democratic hopefuls, it's not enough for abortion to be legal. To meet the criterion of "justice," the procedure must be paid for by someone other than the woman seeking it'....
"Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who supports putting all Americans on a single government-run plan, said 'I would make certain that every woman has access to the full range of reproductive health care services, and ... that includes abortion'.... Julián Castro said, 'I don't believe only in reproductive freedom. I believe in reproductive justice.... And so I absolutely would cover the right to have an abortion.' Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said that all insurance companies should be forced to cover abortion. Joe Biden abandoned decades of support for the Hyde Amendment that prevents Medicaid from covering abortion, arguing that lower-income women must be given equal access to abortions.
"This is, of course, a consistent liberal [progressive - ed.] position — that if you believe free healthcare is a right and that abortion is a right, it would follow that you believe everybody has a right to free abortions. But it is no longer a position that can be justified on libertarian grounds where the case would be that women have a right to abortions, but taxpayers shouldn't be forced to pay for them and insurers shouldn't be forced to cover them.
"As none other than Biden himself put it in 1986 in explaining his opposition to taxpayer funded abortion, 'If it’s not government’s business, then you have to accept the whole of that concept, which means you don’t proscribe [their] right to have an abortion and you don’t take [their] money to assist someone else to have an abortion.'”
January 7, 2019 - "Canada in recent decades has been 'very sensible' with regard to economic issues (spending restraint, welfare reform, corporate tax reform, bank bailouts, regulatory budgeting, the tax treatment of saving, school choice, and privatization of air traffic control). But 'very sensible' is not the same as 'totally sensible'....
"The nation’s current top politician, Justin Trudeau ... increased the top tax rate from 29 percent to 33 percent after taking office in late 2015. In the real world, however, ... increasing tax rates is not the same as increasing tax revenue. From a story in the Globe and Mail:
The Liberal government’s tax on Canada’s top 1 per cent failed to produce the promised billions in new revenue in its first year, as high-income earners actually paid $4.6-billion less in federal taxes.… The latest available tax records show that revenue from Canadians earning about $140,000 or more – which had previously been the fourth and highest tax bracket – dropped by $4.6-billion in 2016, the first full year that the Liberal tax changes were in effect. Further, 30,340 fewer Canadians reported incomes in that range for 2016 compared with the year before. …The new top bracket with a 33-per-cent tax rate was predicted to raise about $3-billion a year in new revenue…
"[S]ome of the foregone revenue might be the result of one-time changes, such as upper-income taxpayers shifting income from 2016 to 2015 (rich people do have considerable control over the timing, level, and composition of their income). A report from Global News reviews ... the degree to which revenues dropped for transitory reasons::
Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s office ... has maintained that the revenue drop for 2016 was a one-off event.… But an analysis of the data that adjusts for the impact of the dividends maneuver and economic factors still shows that the tax hike would have fallen far short of the hype.… Studies have shown that top earners are more likely than lower-income taxpayers to react to tax increases by reducing their taxable income. This may be because the wealthy have access to more sophisticated tax advice, are more easily able to shift assets to lower-tax jurisdictions or can afford to simply decide to work less given that they get to keep less of their money....
"[E]xperts at the C.D. Howe Institute believe the central government will eventually collect more revenue from the higher tax rate, but:
The revenue will be less than projected by static revenue estimates because of permanently lower levels of taxable income.
The added revenue for the central government is more than offset by lower tax receipts for subnational levels of government.
"In other words, Trudeau’s tax hike was a big mistake. The only tangible results are that the private sector is now smaller and the country is less competitive."
.svg.png)
