{"id":37246,"date":"2017-09-10T17:01:50","date_gmt":"2017-09-10T21:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=37246"},"modified":"2017-09-10T17:01:50","modified_gmt":"2017-09-10T21:01:50","slug":"listen-up-small-business-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/listen-up-small-business-tax\/","title":{"rendered":"Listen Up! Instead of attacking small business owners Trudeau should rein in federal spending"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Hugh Mackenzie
Huntsville Doppler<\/p><\/div>\n

Small Businesses should not be the Scapegoat for Government Spending<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, I didn\u2019t see this one coming. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government sticking it to the middle class. Who wudda thunk it? After all, during the last federal election he spent much of his campaign defending the so called middle class. But stick it to them, especially small business owners, is exactly what he is going to do with the changes to the Income Tax Act proposed by Finance Minister Bill Morneau and supported by Justin Trudeau.<\/p>\n

Small business owners represent almost half of the employers in Canada. They are farmers and shopkeepers, physicians, accountants, contractors and entrepreneurs. For the most part, they are risk takers without a safety net and with no indexed pensions or government assistance to fall back on. They employ a huge portion of the national workforce. Many are constantly in hock to the bank, in order to support their business and the people they employ. If you think this is not a local issue, simply walk down Main Street in Huntsville or any other main street in small-town Canada, and you will see who will be affected.<\/p>\n

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The Government suggests this is merely a \u201cFairness Tax\u201d. It is not. The implication is that small business owners are cheating the tax system or are greedy. They are not. All taxpayers take advantage of whatever exemptions are available to them lawfully. It would be a very rare individual who did not. Tax incentives for small business operators are there for a reason; to support those who risk what they have, to advance our economy and provide employment. They are not handouts. We should celebrate small business owners who are successful at what they accomplish, not penalize them.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Trudeau promised to reform the Tax code in Canada as part of his election campaign. There is no question that our tax system is riddled with so called \u2018loopholes\u2019. Some of them are there for a reason and some need to be repealed. Fair enough. But why start with the middle class? They are, after all, a very large part of the engine that keeps this country running.<\/p>\n

When I think of the middle class and small business owners, I think of people like Dino and Bessie Georgas. Dino and Bessie owned Family Place Restaurant in Huntsville. After a long and successful career, they have just sold their business.<\/a> They came to Huntsville about 40 years ago from Greece. Dino started work here as a dish washer. Through hard work and sheer determination over the years, Dino and Bessie purchased their own business, now in a mini plaza which they also own. Through the years they have never been too busy to give back to the community in so many ways, only one of which is an annual Christmas lunch to which the entire community is invited, with all proceeds, every cent, going to the Salvation Army Food and Toy Drive. Dino and Bessie have put their heart and soul into Huntsville and deserve a long and happy retirement.<\/p>\n

I also think of Tracy and Randy Robinson, who coincidently, also retire this month.<\/a> After years as entrepreneurs, they became operators of Robinson\u2019s Independent Grocers. They too have contributed in countless ways, to the Huntsville community over their 21 years here, from offering space and supplies for the weekly charity bbq’s to sponsoring a charity ball tournament and countless sporting teams, to saying yes to almost every request for a donation. They have also provided employment for hundreds of people and worked hard to grow a very successful business.<\/p>\n

Then at the other end of the spectrum, are Jenny Spring and Oliver Wolfe. These young people operate The Spring Farm and have also just purchased The Family Place Restaurant. As Jenny Spring said, \u201cThe hardest industries out there are farming and food. So here we are, we are doing them both now\u201d.<\/p>\n

People like these, who operate small businesses, are the target of the Trudeau Government\u2019s proposed tax legislation. It has been described as a ‘merciless tax grab’. Even many Liberals are denouncing it. John Collins, in a letter to the Toronto Star noted, \u201cthat small business has created the Bulk of jobs in Ontario\u201d. This is likely true for the rest of Canada as well, most especially for non- urban communities like Huntsville. Collins went on to say, \u201cTaking more money out of these businesses will reduce future job creation. We need more jobs and fewer taxes\u201d.<\/p>\n

One simple alternative to this attack on the middle class and small business would be for the Government to sharply reduce its spending. A $10 billion deficit for each of the next three years, promised by the Trudeau government, has quickly ballooned to $30 billion in the first year alone. Of course, it will be a cold day in Hell before they curtail spending, so the Government will need more money. It is a mistake however to take it from the very people who stimulate our economy. Read the polls Mr. Trudeau. Even your supporters are against you on this one.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here<\/u>.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Small Businesses should not be the Scapegoat for Government Spending Well, I didn\u2019t see this one coming. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government sticking it to the middle class. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12568,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[26,442,829],"class_list":["post-37246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","tag-breaking","tag-hugh-mackenzie","tag-listen-up"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nListen Up! 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