Government supports motion to remove ‘tampon tax’

Scooby

Electoral Member
Mar 22, 2012
403
0
16
Alberta
Feds say measure to remove federal tax on tampons will be addressed in a future budget

The Canadian Press
May 8, 2015


OTTAWA – The Harper government says it supports a House of Commons motion calling for the removal of the federal tax on tampons.

It says the measure will be addressed in a future budget.

There have been several attempts since 2004 to pass a private member’s bill on the subject, including one currently in the queue sponsored by NDP MP Irene Mathyssen.

But since January, over 72,000 people have signed an online petition calling for an end to the levy on menstrual products, saying it’s a tax that unfairly targets women.

The momentum prompted the New Democrats to try and get a motion passed before the House as well and they are using one of their few opposition days for the debate.

The vote won’t take place until next week.

But Susan Truppe, the government’s parliamentary secretary for the status of women, suggested Friday the motion will pass.

“The government does support this motion and will consider this proposal in future budgets,” she said during question period.

New Democrat Niki Ashton urged action now, not in a budget yet to come.

“That kind of support is not good enough,” Ashton said during the Friday debate.

Removing the tax isn’t a complex matter, she added.

“We’re talking about a very easy, simple act, here.”

Several NDP MPs also rose in the Commons Thursday to present formal petitions requesting an end to the tax; removing it has been estimated to cost the government $36 million.

Tabling a petition in the House means the government must issue a formal response within 45 calendar days.

Supporters of the plan argue that it makes no sense for menstrual products to be subject to a tax, noting they are essential goods, not luxury items.

There’s no sales tax charged on cocktail cherries, wedding cakes, incontinence products or Viagra, they note, but all Canadian women must pay tax on a product they use every single month for close to 40 years.

“This is an non-optional tax that’s borne by only half the population,” said Kathleen Fraser, one of the women behind the online petition.

“It’s a tax based on biological characteristics and though it may seem like small change, it’s a tax that places an unfair burden on women, trans people and other menstruators.”


I'm all cool with women getting a break on their necessities, but who are these other menstruators? Why do they get a free ride on the cotton pony?
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
14,591
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Toronto, ON
It's not unfair. If men bought them, they would be taxed too.

Are condoms also going to be tax free? A product only used by men therefore being unfairly discriminated. How about Rogain for hair?
 

Scooby

Electoral Member
Mar 22, 2012
403
0
16
Alberta
It's not unfair. If men bought them, they would be taxed too.

Are condoms also going to be tax free? A product only used by men therefore being unfairly discriminated. How about Rogain for hair?
Well, condoms are kind of a shared use item. Unless you are using them to keep your gun barrel dry.

is that a pun, need a ruling...
 

Walter

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 28, 2007
34,843
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A tax carve-out is just more pandering to the lobbyists. The only fair thing to do is tax all purchases the same way regardless of what is being bought and who's doing the buying.
 

Ludlow

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 7, 2014
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wherever i sit down my ars
Kotex's are better. One time while installing a large shelf the bucket I was standing on gave way and I hit the floor followed by the shelf which came down and split my head wide open. My co worker at the time was a gal name Brenda and she had a big kotex in her purse and she taped it to my head which was bleeding profusely. That rag was the best bandage I ever used although it was kind of embarrassing all the people staring at me in the ER with the big kotex on me head.

Very utilitarian thing those kotex's a tampon would be useless in that situation
 

Tecumsehsbones

Hall of Fame Member
Mar 18, 2013
55,430
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Kotex's are better. One time while installing a large shelf the bucket I was standing on gave way and I hit the floor followed by the shelf which came down and split my head wide open. My co worker at the time was a gal name Brenda and she had a big kotex in her purse and she taped it to my head which was bleeding profusely. That rag was the best bandage I ever used although it was kind of embarrassing all the people staring at me in the ER with the big kotex on me head.

Very utilitarian thing those kotex's a tampon would be useless in that situation
Still, you got a great story out of it!
 

tay

Hall of Fame Member
May 20, 2012
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It's not unfair. If men bought them, they would be taxed too.






The majority of men don't use them.


Nothing like an election year to get the CONS to act on something for a product that people buy as a necessity and not as a luxury........
 

Glacier

Electoral Member
Apr 24, 2015
360
0
16
Okanagan
If the tax is removed I could foresee people coming up with new and innovated uses for tampons... or you'll find that sneaky provincial governments like we have in BC would bump up the PST to make the difference (as they do on used cars).