Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories sayBy SANDRA CORDON

Wednesday, January 25, 2006 Posted at 5:13 PM EST

Canadian Press

Ottawa — Tax cuts and a new grant for families with kids will be non-negotiable items for Canada's new Conservative government — even in its minority position, says a leading contender for the high-profile post of finance minister.

Campaign pledges to cut the GST and distribute a new kind of family allowance are top priorities for the incoming Tory administration, Alberta MP Monte Solberg, the party's long-time finance critic, said Wednesday.

And that means those fiscal measures won't be sacrificed in any give and take that a minority government often faces in gaining support from other parties to pass its agenda.

“These are obviously very high priorities for our party and my leader is pretty committed to these things,” Mr. Solberg said in an interview Wednesday from Brooks, in his southern Alberta riding.

Advertisements





“I think that sort of speaks volumes on our views about how aggressively we'll push for them.”

Stephen Harper's Conservative party won power with a narrow minority in Monday's federal election, taking 124 seats to end the 12-year reign of the Liberal party, which came away with 103 seats in the 308 member House of Commons.

That means the Tories must find ways to co-operate at times with either the Liberals or the 51 MPs in the Bloc Quebecois caucus, the 29 NDP members or the one independent MP from Quebec City.

It's not yet clear whether any of those fiscal priorities will be introduced outside of a budget, said Mr. Solberg, who has also pledged to honour corporate tax cuts promised by the previous Liberal government.

And just how quickly that first Tory budget will be delivered is also unclear, although Ottawa's traditional budget period is late February to early March.

But Mr. Solberg said he doesn't believe there's any rush to lay out the full program which will put some flesh on the bones of the Conservative campaign platform.

“I think it would be a big mistake to rush anything out,” said Mr. Solberg.

“I think that would be imprudent and therefore, not good for the economy and not in the interests of business.”

But Canadian business leaders are already anxious to see the full Tory plan and how they intend to pay for their tax and spending plans.

Those will be pricey: the one per cent cut to the GST will cost about $5-billion per year; the $1,200 annual subsidy for each pre-school child to every family, regardless of income, will cost about $10-billion over five years.

Mr. Harper has said he'll help pay for those measures by rolling back some previous Liberal tax cuts aimed at low-income Canadians.

Still, it shouldn't be hard to pass the GST cut quickly since both the Liberals and NDP have in the past lobbied against the tax, Mr. Solberg argues.

As for the child subsidy — which is designed to replace the Liberals' formalized child-care plan — Solberg said the Tory proposal was so popular during the eight-week federal election campaign other parties now won't dare fight it.

“It may be the most popular thing that we proposed. and so one of the arguments we can muster on these things is ‘look, we did receive a limited mandate from the public but one of things that did seem to get a lot of support is this items',” he said.

“We won the election on our platform so why would we surrender this item to adopt the platforms of the parties that didn't win this election.”

Mr. Solberg maintained he doesn't know if he'll get a ministerial position in Mr. Harper's new cabinet, given that many Albertans were elected as Tory MPs and all can't be included in the senior levels of government.

Former Ontario finance minister Jim Flaherty is also rumoured to be a front runner for the federal finance portfolio which could mean Mr. Solberg moves into another related ministry such as Industry or even International Trade.

Mr. Solberg said he's very aware that the international financial community will be closely watching the fiscal policies of the new Tory administration because the world relies more and more on Canada's natural resource riches, particularly Alberta's energy products.

“I think there's a lot of interest in what we're going to do we're so rich in resources,” including Canada's lumber and minerals.

“I think they're paying a lot of attention to us — we're just so strategically important.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060125.wtory0124/BNStory/specialNewTory2006/

well, the attitude has begun!

I particularily like how they say they will help fund their tax cuts by rolling back the Liberal tax cuts for the poor.

The true colours show through.
 

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
Arrogance in Government

After eighteen months of screaming at the top of their lungs about how the Liberal Government of Canada governed as if in a majority, it would seem that the Conservative Party of Canada is guilty of the same.

They had better not take the confidence of the House of Commons for granted; we have seen how that can work out in the past.
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
I think the conservatives have pretty much painted themselves into a mandate corner so it's hardly an "attitude" or a "taking the confidence of the House of Commons for granted" issue. We expect certain things to happen, that's how it works....it's a good thing.
 

Triple_R

Electoral Member
Jan 8, 2006
179
0
16
Re: RE: Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

Jay said:
I think the conservatives have pretty much painted themselves into a mandate corner so it's hardly an "attitude" or a "taking the confidence of the House of Commons for granted" issue. We expect certain things to happen, that's how it works....it's a good thing.

Agreed. The GST cut was the MAIN plank of their party paltform in the election. OF COURSE they're going to push hard for it.

Their determination on the child care plan is surprising to me (since it's going to be harder to get through than a GST cut), but it's commendable.

What the Conservatives are merely doing is making a statement post-election that they will live up to their campaign promises. I guess that most be something new to a Liberal supporter. ;)
 

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
minority governments usually operate on cooperation.

thats what we expect, since the alternative is to see many bills defeated. Nobody likes a parlement that fails to accomplish anything.
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
Re: RE: Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

Triple_R said:
I guess that most be something new to a Liberal supporter. ;)

I would imagine so...
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
Re: RE: Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

the caracal kid said:
minority governments usually operate on cooperation.

thats what we expect, since the alternative is to see many bills defeated. Nobody likes a parlement that fails to accomplish anything.

And therefore they expect to have support on these mandate issues.
 

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
they will have support on bills that are in agreement with other party ideaologies. That is why there is compromise between parties to put forth bills that will pass.
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
I wouldn't advise the other parties to get in the way of a few key platform issues. At the very least, if Harper can't fulfill his limited mandate because of the unwillingness of the other parties to cooperate on these limited mandate issues, he can say it wasn't his fault. If the public perceives this is the case, we just might hand the conservatives a healthy majority next election. The Liberals are on no position to govern at the moment.
 

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
But a defeat of the Government shortly after the opening of Parliament could work wonders for the New Democratic Party of Canada, lol.

In my opinion, it would be extremely dangerous for the Conservative Party of Canada to declare a policy of non-negotiation; if they are defeated on non-confidence on their budget platform, then so be it — a majority of our elected representatives will have spoken.
 

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
he will get some stuff through without a hitch, but not the more complex stuff that has deeper ramifications.

Harper is smart enough to be persuing those that will have minimal resistance first, such as his "clean up government" initiative. (which we know won't clean up government - no party ever could)
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
Re: RE: Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

FiveParadox said:
But a defeat of the Government shortly after the opening of Parliament could work wonders for the New Democratic Party of Canada, lol.

In my opinion, it would be extremely dangerous for the Conservative Party of Canada to declare a policy of non-negotiation; if they are defeated on non-confidence on their budget platform, then so be it — a majority of our elected representatives will have spoken.


Sure, but I think it is dangerous policy right now. Do you want the public to give you a majority government so something can get done in Parliament? I wouldn't if I were you because like I said the Liberals are in no shape to govern and that doesn't leave too much on the table now does it?
 

FiveParadox

Governor General
Dec 20, 2005
5,875
43
48
Vancouver, BC
That doesn't mean that the Conservative Party of Canada should govern neglecting their minority status — the people of Canada are, in my opinion, watching to see whether or not they are going to be true to their apparently righteous ethics.
 

Lifestream

New Member
Jan 24, 2006
21
0
1
Toronto
RE: Tax cuts non-negotiab

"Chretien's mishandling of his onetime promise to make the GST "disappear" marked a similar example of his unwillingness to admit error. As opposition leader, he was always wary of efforts by some party members to commit to abolishing the GST before a suitable alternative was found. Nonetheless, he was finally persuaded to make that promise after strong pressure from more left-wing members of the caucus. When the time finally came in early 1996 to acknowledge that the GST would not be abolished, Chretien advisers say, he could not accept the idea that he was being asked to apologize for a promise that he had never wanted to make in the first place."
http://www.canoe.ca

Interesting read, no?
 

Jay

Executive Branch Member
Jan 7, 2005
8,366
3
38
Re: RE: Tax cuts non-negotiable, Tories say

FiveParadox said:
That doesn't mean that the Conservative Party of Canada should govern neglecting their minority status — the people of Canada are, in my opinion, watching to see whether or not they are going to be true to their apparently righteous ethics.


You're completely right. But the conservatives demanding a few key elements to be pushed through isn't asking much at all, and I don't expect too much resistance in the first while. The Liberals have some in-house work ahead of them, and that should keep them busy for the time being.

I don't want Harper to go on some shopping spree, but I do want him to accomplish the few key things he said he would, I mean that's the idea here isn't it?
 

yballa09

Electoral Member
Sep 8, 2005
103
0
16
Rexburg, Idaho
well, the attitude has begun!

I particularily like how they say they will help fund their tax cuts by rolling back the Liberal tax cuts for the poor.

The true colours show through.

Wow, he said this throughout the entire election campaign, you finally understood it? The lowest taxable income will be raised 1%, back to where it was before the recent liberal cuts, and the conservatives will implement their gst cut, which actually affects the poorest canadians. now you can whine all you want about this, but don't act this like is something new, because its been said from the beginning.
 

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
i am not whining. i am pointing out the attitude. the "we are for saving the poor from their tax burden", yet they are for increased taxation of the poor. The GST cut conversation has already been overdone and showed how the cut is not effective.
 

Jersay

House Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,837
2
38
Independent Palestine
Conservative policy throughout the world i have found, is oh, too bad you are poor, and we feel sorry for you, but let us take those few nickels you have there, and off you go now. :D
 

the caracal kid

the clan of the claw
Nov 28, 2005
1,947
2
38
www.kdm.ca
jersay,
the exception to that is corporations! then they say, oh you poor little corp. not making enough profit? we can fix that. we have corp-welfare programs just for you....

of course, they prefer to refer to this as being "pro-business".

like harper's talk on considering forcing a devaluation of the dollar for all those poor companies that need the devalued-dollar-dole-out to be competative.

cons:= rape, pillage, plundar. the experts at kickbacks and porkbarreling. no wonder it is said only the ignorant and businessmen vote for them.
 

karra

Ranter
Jan 3, 2006
158
3
18
here, there, and everywher
A brilliant piece of manoevering if ever I saw one - take the two most popular (money in yer pocket) items that everyone really does want, and immediately bring it to the fore - how can anyone in opposition possibly obstruct its passage (I killl me !) - Harper takes command, the Tories look great and everyone's a winner. . . .