Earlier this week on Twitter, Kai Nagata asked an interesting question:
@jordanbateman asking for a friend (and it's not about pipelines for once). How does CTF feel about sales tax on feminine hygiene products?
— Kai Nagata (@kainagata) December 2, 2014
The truth is, there are a lot of essentials that have sales tax. Home heating, being an example. Gasoline (although anti-oil Kai might quibble at calling gasoline “essential”). BC Hydro electricity. New houses. Clothing (tell me gloves and touques aren’t essential on a -5 morning like today).
So there are many essential items that are taxed. There are also many non-essential items that are exempt from sales tax: music lessons being the most obvious example.
The CTF advocates for a simpler tax system. We would prefer fewer exemptions and lower rates to the piecemeal approach we have now. Tax legislation is thousands of pages long, because governments tinker with it for purely political reasons. Better to simplify – charge it on everything, but knock the overall rates down.
Is Canada Off Track?
Canada has problems. You see them at gas station. You see them at the grocery store. You see them on your taxes.
Is anyone listening to you to find out where you think Canada’s off track and what you think we could do to make things better?
You can tell us what you think by filling out the survey
Franco Terrazzano
Federal Director
Hey, it’s Franco.
Did you know that you can get the inside scoop right from my notebook each week? I’ll share hilarious and infuriating stories the media usually misses with you every week so you can hold politicians accountable.
You can sign up for our Action Update emails
We take data security and privacy seriously. Your information will be kept safe.