Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is preparing to speak out against the federal government’s controversial tax reforms, which have been angering business owners, doctors and farmers across Canada.
The Canadian Press has learned Pallister will make the announcement today at an event in Winnipeg alongside dozens of business owners.
The federal Liberal proposals to eliminate several tax incentives designed for private corporations have attracted waves of complaints from a range of sectors — as well as backbench Liberal MPs.
Pallister will add his voice to the uproar out of concern about the potential damage he believes the changes could inflict on small- and medium-sized businesses and their employees.
Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the changes are meant to end tax advantages that some wealthy business owners have unfairly exploited and to ensure all Canadians have a level playing field.
Morneau says he’s listening to feedback about the proposals and that he’s open to making changes, if necessary.
He also says there is a lot of misinformation circulating about the impacts of the proposals and Ottawa has been trying to add clarity to the debate.
Pallister will be joined by business owners as well as Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly, whose organization represents the interests of small- and medium-sized firms.
Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen has written Morneau to demand that he hold off on the tax changes until after federal and provincial finance ministers meet in December.