MPs in an eleventh hour vote passed the Second Reading of a bill approving a 60-day sales tax holiday on restaurant tabs, prepared food and select Christmas goods.Commons at 11:23 p.m. local time Thursday night passed Bill C-78 An Act Respecting Temporary Cost Of Living Relief in a 176-151 vote, per Blacklock’s Reporter. Liberals, New Democrats and Greens voted in favour, while Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and Independents were opposed..Trudeau’s ‘GST holiday’ doubles federal budget hole.Second Reading of Bill C-78 came hours after New Democrats voted with cabinet to temporarily break a nine-week Conservative filibuster that gridlocked passage of legislation. Opposition MPs protested cabinet’s failure to comply with a June 10 House order to produce documents regarding inside dealing on corporate subsidies.“There is a time constraint with regards to the GST,” said Government House Leader Gould. “We want to get this in place for December 14 so we’re getting it through the House of Commons now so it can go through the Senate in time to be put in place.”The bill would suspend GST charges on itemized goods from December 14 to February 15. Cabinet estimated the cost at $1.6 billion..UPDATED: GST vacation offers holiday relief for Canadian families; $250 cheques next year.NDP MP Leah Gazan told reporters her caucus favoured permanent GST exemptions on essential items but would not oppose piecemeal tax breaks.“Look, it’s not perfect, but the NDP is going to vote in favour of getting help out the door,” she said.“Can you explain why a half measure is good enough for you?” asked a reporter.“The NDP is not going to vote against providing people with assistance right now during an affordability crisis,” replied Gazan.Bloc MPs opposed the bill as no help for the neediest at Christmas. “How can Liberals and the NDP subsidize the spending by the rich and abandon those who are tightening their belts this Christmas?” asked Bloc MP Gabriel Ste-Marie.“The GST holiday is a $1.6 billion gift to people who don’t need it.”“It’s a reward for spending. Low income seniors won’t see a big difference. Nor will minimum wage workers or families that rely on Christmas baskets. But it does pay off for people who have reservations at top restaurants or buy their New Year’s Eve champagne by the case.”.‘TEMPORARY TAX TRICK’: Poilievre not buying Trudeau’s ‘GST Holiday’.Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan said any gains for consumers will be overtaken by a 19% increase in the carbon tax next April 1.“Instead of taking chump change off chocolates, call a carbon tax election now so we can axe the tax for good,” said Hallan. A schedule of carbon tax increases under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act will see the fuel charge rise to 15¢ per litre of propane, 18¢ per cubic metre of natural gas, 21¢ per litre of gasoline and 24¢ for aviation fuel.Conservative Rob Moore predicted retailers and customers will find the the tax holiday confusing. “Any one of us would struggle to try to decipher what this government is doing,” he said.“The Canada Revenue Agency, ever so helpful, has come out with some guidelines.”“A Pokémon card is eligible for this two-month reprieve. However if you buy your kids hockey cards that is not eligible.”“Physical video games qualify but online-only and downloadable video games are not included.”"(Cabinet did) not understand the confusion they have just wrought.”“Canadians certainly are not going to understand it.”GST-free items under Bill C-78 include beer, Bibles, board games, books, candy, cake, chips, cheese puffs, chocolates, chewing gum, children’s clothing, children’s footwear, chocolate, Cracker Jack, croissants, Christmas trees “natural or artificial,” diapers, dolls, frozen yoghurt, granola, honey, ice cream, infant car seats, jigsaw puzzles, muffins, pastries, pies, pudding, printed newspapers, restaurant and take-out meals, sherbet, soda, syrup, toys, video game controllers and consoles and wine.
