Latest News & Updates

IN THE NEWS
NDP urges Morneau to tackle tax havens, consider wealth levy

Report on Business | B2, Words: 663

by: Bill Curry

The NDP is calling on the minority Liberal government to tackle the corporate use of offshore tax havens and consider a wealth tax as part of any plan to address the large federal deficit and growing debt load created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The request comes as Finance Minister Bill Morneau is preparing to release an economic and fiscal snapshot on July 8 that will provide the first official estimate of this year's federal deficit since a report in December that was issued before the pandemic.

IN THE HOUSE
Joint-letter to Finance Minister about offshore and international tax evasion

As critics for Finance and National Revenue, myself and MP Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre) wrote Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, to ask for concrete and immediate action to address the legislative gaps regarding offshore and international tax evasion.

IN THE NEWS
CERB needed 'better words'

Calgary Sun (FINAL) by: Ryan Wolstat

NEWS | A20, Words: 338

Canada's Employment Minister admits the government could have "picked better words" to scare off would-be COVID-19 relief program cheats, according to Blacklock's Reporter.

"While I remain committed to not in any way penalizing someone who honestly commits a mistake or an error or somebody who gets an extra payment, there was a sentiment that we need more robust ways to enforce our measures at the back end," Carla Qualtrough told the Senate national finance committee.

IN THE NEWS
Conservatives hold worst attendance record at House of Commons COVID-19 committee

Globe and Mail.com

The low turnout is prompting charges of hypocrisy from the NDP

by: Marieke Walsh

Despite calls from Andrew Scheer for more parliamentary oversight during the coronavirus pandemic, the Conservatives have the worst attendance record of all five political parties at the House of Commons COVID-19 committee meetings.

Of the 21 special sessions, in which all MPs could participate, records show the Tories averaged a 47-per-cent attendance rate, placing them well behind the other parties.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Government must end free ride for companies who use tax havens

"A top official at the CRA is saying we need tougher laws to stop tax avoidance but the Liberal government has been in power since 2015 and has done absolutely nothing to close these loopholes for big corporations and the ultra rich,� said NDP Finance Critic Peter Julian. “Instead of threatening Canadians on CERB with new redundant and punitive laws, the Liberal government should be going after wealthy tax dodgers who are robbing Canadians of tax dollars needed to improve health care and infrastructure here at home.�

IN THE NEWS
Canada's wealthiest one per cent hold 25.6% of riches, new PBO report says

The concentration of wealth among Canada's richest one per cent is deeper than previously believed, according to a federal government report based on a new modelling approach.

The top one per cent of Canada's families hold about 25.6 per cent of the wealth _ roughly $3 trillion _ up from 13.7 per cent estimated under previous methodology, says the report from the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

IN THE NEWS
10,000 in New West receive CERB, but that’s not enough: MP

An estimated 10,000 New Westminster residents are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), says New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian.

That’s a big figure, but even that’s not enough for Julian, who says many people with disabilities are being unfairly left out of much-needed funding.

Burnaby South MP and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Julian have been leading the charge to have more people with disabilities qualify for CERB. Right now, people who don’t qualify for the federal disability tax credit also don’t qualify for CERB, Julian said.

IN THE NEWS
Known fraudsters targeting CERB for wrongful benefits, Commons committee told

Canadian Press Newswire

OTTAWA _ Harsh penalties for defrauding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit are needed because organized crime and identity thieves are trying to scam the program, a House of Commons committee was told Thursday.

A Canada Revenue Agency official said federal systems have already flagged a number of potential fraudulent applications for the $2,000-a-month CERB, including people involved in criminal activity that have now targeted the pandemic-aid program.

Special Edition COVID-19 Spring 2020 Community Newsletter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MP Peter Julian calls on the Liberals to give support to ALL persons living with disabilities

“After a month and a half of the NDP dragging and pushing and forcing the Trudeau government to give Covid 19 support benefits to people living with disabilities, it is absolutely unacceptable that ONLY those who are qualified for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) get this support!� Julian said.

“The Disability Tax Credit is a discredited tool because many people with disabilities either don’t know about it, can’t pay for the medical confirmation, or get rejected due to increasingly restrictive rules�, said Julian. Less than 40% of Canadians with severe disabilities have access to the DTC. Julian added, “I have done over 600 DTC town halls across Canada to help people get the Disability Tax Credit and know how dysfunctional the federal system is for persons living with disabilities.�

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Democrats call on Liberals to stop supporting big bank profiteering

Actions to regulate the banks have been taken in the UK by the Prudential Regulatory Authority, in some countries in Europe and by the Mexican’s financial regulator. In Canada, some credit unions have already reduced the interest on credit cards and lines of credits to zero percent for those in need.

“We have heard many stories of Canadians suffering from financial pressure while the banks do nothing to help. In the first quarter of the year, so far Canada's major banks made more than $5 billion in profits during the COVID-19 crisis, while Canadians continue to struggle to make ends meet," said Julian. "The federal government has the power and authority to stop banks from making such huge profits on the backs of Canadians. But instead of taking action they’re letting people struggle with this financial pressure."

IN THE HOUSE
Joint letter to the Minister of Finance and Minister of Small Business regarding June rent

June 1 is only one week away, small business owners, many of them have already deferred their April and May rents, are now once again worrying how they are going to pay for their June rent. Here is the letter MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) NDP Critic for Small Business, and I wrote a joint letter to letter to the Finance Minister and to the Minister of Small Business.