Saying an increase in payroll taxes on small business owners will “add insult to injury,” Cloverdale-Langley City urged the House of Commons to postpone the planned January hikes.
“Langley City is becoming a ghost town,” Jansen warned, during the Monday, Dec. 7 debate on a Conservative proposal calling on the federal government to halt scheduled tax increases for small businesses.
“Small business owners are drowning in despair right now. They are having a hard time keeping their doors open under the weight of the restrictions that keep changing without warning.”
READ ALSO: Jansen says Liberals dropped the ball on vaccines
“This government is set to add insult to injury to small businesses by adding payroll tax increases in January to their already overburdened shoulders,” Jansen argued.
“I am here to speak on behalf of the truckers, plumbers, carpenters, taxi drivers, furniture movers, waiters, busboys and janitors. They are bearing the weight of this pandemic far more than those of us in this house who are deciding their futures.’’
“Why are small businesses bearing so much more of the burden than bureaucrats, politicians and wealthy elite?” Jansen asked.
“Are we truly prepared to crush the backbone of our economy, the corner store, the coffee shop, the nail salon and every small endeavor in between?”
“We are clearly not all in this together,” Jansen concluded.
Jansen, who participated in the Commons debate by remote video, was speaking in support of a motion introduced on Monday by Carlton, Ontario, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre that declares “Canadian businesses are in distress and need help to survive.”
It called on the governing Liberals to provide “complete details on the Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program … including criteria, when businesses can apply, which sectors are eligible, when repayment will be required, and how much forgiveness will be offered,” and to postpone the increase of the Canada Pension Plan payroll taxes planned for January 1, as well as delaying increases to the carbon tax and the alcohol escalator tax planned for 2021.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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