• Taxpayers call for $6.4 billion in tax relief and $8.7 billion in debt reduction
• CTF advocates Basic Personal Exemption be raised to $15,000
• Innovation can be fostered by ending $4 billion in corporate welfare and abolition of the corporate capital tax

Pre-budget submission (424 KB)

MONTREAL: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) appeared today before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as the committee stopped in Montreal as part of its national 2003 pre-budget consultation process.

CTF federal director, Walter Robinson, testified this morning before the committee and outlined the main recommendations in the CTF's submission entitled Back to Basics: ABCDEFG for Budget 2003 which include:

• A - Abolition: Abolish the Corporate Capital Tax;
• B - Basic Personal Exemption: Increase to $10,000 in two years, $15,000 in five years;
• C - Corporate Welfare: End corporate welfare and regional development schemes;
• D - Debt Reduction: Establish a legislated schedule of debt reduction;
• E - Employment Insurance: End employer overpayments of EI and CPP contributions;
• F - Family: Adopt 1966 Carter Commission recommendation to promote family taxation; and
• G - Gas Taxes for Cities: Adopt the CTF Municipal Roadway Trust model.

"Implementation of our proposals would ensure that the feds stick to their core priorities of tax relief and debt reduction as the best and quickest means to promote national economic prosperity and improve our standard of living," said Robinson.

"With a lame duck Prime Minister on a costly search for his legacy and several cabinet ministers poised to use their access to public resources to further their private ambitions, fiscal policy that focuses on expanded tax relief and legislated debt repayment is the best protection for taxpayers in this unprecedented period," added Robinson.

The CTF will continue to conduct speaking engagements, stakeholder meetings and media interviews across the country in the lead up to next February's budget in order to deter the federal government from implementing its expansionist and activist agenda which will result in higher taxes and a compromised standard of living. Mr. Robinson will also meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister John Manley on November 18th in Ottawa.