- Conservative Government Outlines Fresh New Priorities

EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) reacted to today's speech from the throne, opening the Second session of the 39th Parliament.

"Today's throne speech marks a significant step by the government towards lower taxes. Canadians can look forward to another one point cut to the GST as well as broad, multi-year tax relief for individuals, families and businesses," said CTF federal director John Williamson. "The Conservative government has heard the demands of Canadians for tax relief and signaled today it will act accordingly by reducing its tax bite."

"They must be serious given the throne speech announcement was made on primetime national television. We call on government MPs to ensure income taxes come down in short order," said Mr. Williamson. "It's pretty simple really: surplus dollars should be returned to taxpayers."

On the Kyoto Protocol - Some Clearheaded Thinking

"It's fitting it was in the Senate, Canada's place of sober second thought, that the federal government announced it will not meet its Kyoto targets," observed Williamson. "Implementing the international agreement requires Canada to reduce average carbon dioxide emissions to 6 per cent below 1990 levels starting in 2008. Because the country's output of greenhouse gases has increased by nearly 33 per cent above its target, draconian cuts in energy output are needed in short order. It cannot be done and Ottawa has finally acknowledged that fact. The Conservatives should be commended for being forthright with Canadian taxpayers. Moreover, they should be applauded for not wasting tax dollars on this scheme."

This is What Democracy Looks Like - Elected Senator Appointed to the Red Chamber

"Today's throne speech marks a significant step by the government towards lower taxes. Canadians can look forward to another one point cut to the GST as well as broad, multi-year tax relief for individuals, families and businesses," said CTF federal director John Williamson. "The Conservative government has heard the demands of Canadians for tax relief and signaled today it will act accordingly by reducing its tax bite."

Senate reform advocate Bert Brown was finally appointed to the Senate, becoming its second ever elected member. Senator Brown won his second provincial Senate election in 2004 in the province of Alberta. "The Conservative government's decision to appoint Bert Brown is a message to provincial governments. If provinces want their citizens to be fully represented in the upper chamber they need simply to consult voters in province-wide elections," concluded Williamson. "Senator Brown's appointment makes it clear Prime Minister Harper is prepared to heed the advice of voters by appointing their pick to the Senate."