What the Oakville North-Burlington Candidates Are Saying: 2019 Federal Election

October 9, 2019

As part of the Oakville Chamber’s advocacy efforts leading up to the federal election on October 21st, we invited candidates to share with our members their vision with the Oakville business community. Specifically, how their party’s policies and/or platform would strengthen Oakville’s business competitiveness.

Their responses are included below in alphabetical order by last name (as seen on the Elections Canada ballot).

To learn more about the Canadian Chamber of Commerce priorities for this election, check out Vote Prosperity.

Pam Damoff

Liberal Party of Canada

Oakville’s businesses drive job creation, and government can support their efforts to create jobs. Since 2015, unemployment has fallen to historic lows, and our community has a strong record of economic growth. Canadian families now have one of the lowest effective tax rates in the OECD and the lowest in the G7. A re-elected Liberal government will make it more affordable for businesses to move forward, grow and create more good jobs.

We will eliminate the “swipe fee” on HST and GST that merchants must pay to credit card companies every time a credit card is swiped, saving businesses $500 million a year in fees.

We will cut the cost of federal incorporation by 75 per cent, eliminating fees for federal business advisory services, and automating records of employment. We will create the Canada Entrepreneur Account, providing up to 2,000 entrepreneurs a year with as much as $50,000 to launch a new business. We will slash corporate taxes in half for companies that develop products that have zero emissions as we move forward with an ambitious and achievable plan to combat climate change.

We will build on the work we’ve done over the last four years to lower taxes for small businesses from 11% to 9%, safeguard our trading relationships, grow our exports and help businesses seize new opportunities at home and abroad. A re-elected Liberal government will continue to make sure that our community’s entrepreneurs have the support they need to succeed.

Nicolas Dion

New Democratic Party of Canada

No response received.

Michael Houghton

Green Party of Canada

No response received.

Gilbert Joseph Jubinville

People’s Party of Canada

People’s Party of Canada free and open market policies are based on 4 core values.

Personal Responsibility
Individual Freedom
Respect, fairness

Taxes:

Balance the budget within two years
Cut federal tax to 15% on income between $15,001 and $100,000, and 25% tax rate on income above $100,000
Abolish the Capital Gains Tax.

Regulatory

We will consider creating a Minister of Regulatory Efficiency responsible for regulatory oversight at the Treasury.
Establishment of individual property rights on reserves.
Phase out the supply management system over a number of years
Allow Canada’s dairy, egg and poultry farmers to sell their products internationally.
Reduce the total amount of equalization payments to provinces.
Establish a parliamentary committee to review and make recommendations on a new formula

Trade

Reassert the authority and leadership of the federal government on internal trade.
Use section 91(2) of the Constitution, which gives Ottawa exclusive power to regulate matters of international and interprovincial trade.
Appoint a Minister of Internal Trade

Small and mid size business

Permanently expand the accelerated capital cost allowance to all sectors
Drop Corporate Income Tax to 10%
Abolish the Carbon tax and no Cap & Trade.

Connected Canada

Abolish the CRTC. Open and Free Markets will increase competition

Skills

Reform the immigration point system and the related programs to accept a larger proportion of economic immigrants with the right skills

Sean Weir

Conservative Party of Canada

Small and medium sized businesses are the bedrock of many communities. As I have been knocking on doors, speaking to the residents and business owners of Oakville North–Burlington, one thing has remained clear, life is more expensive and complicated under Justin Trudeau. Trudeau’s never-ending tax hikes and new regulations are making it harder to operate and grow local businesses. His job-killing carbon tax, increased CPP and EI premiums, and changes to the small business tax regime all negatively impact thousands of local businesses.

The Liberal government attacked local businesses to pay for their out-of-control spending. Despite a massive backlash across the country, including in Oakville, Justin Trudeau steamrolled ahead, claiming that business owners were just rich tax cheats. The Liberals complex tax grab would penalize family businesses for sharing earnings and work with family members.

A new Conservative government will understand the critical role you as a business owner plays in our community and we will help you get ahead. Specifically, we will:

Repeal Trudeau’s tax increases on small business investments
Exempt spouses from tax increases on small business dividends
Make it easier to navigate Canada’s tax system and the Canada Revenue Agency
Reduce federal regulations by 25 per cent
Implement a 2-for-1 rule for new regulations
Assign a Minister to lead red tape reduction efforts
Champion Canada’s small businesses to the world

I am running to champion the residents and businesses of Oakville North – Burlington so they can get ahead, not just get by.