The NDP introduced a motion in the House of Commons on Tuesday to remove the GST from home heating.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, critics pointed out that the NDP had voted against a similar bill six years ago, which aimed to eliminate the GST on the carbon tax.“I believe all of us opposition parties should not only be in opposition but in proposition, that we should push for the ideas that make this country better, that help Canadians in their daily lives,” said New Democrat MP Taylor Bachrach (Skeena-Bulkley Valley, BC), sponsor of the motion. Repealing the GST on heat “is going to make a substantial difference,” he said.The motion asked that “the House call on the government to remove the GST from all forms of home heating.” No specific cost was disclosed for the proposed deduction. However, a 2017 report from the Budget Office indicated that GST collections from the carbon tax alone amounted to more than $267 million annually. This information was outlined in the report Bill C-342 Cost of Carbon Pricing Deduction from GST.Bill C-342 An Act to Amend the Excise Tax Act sponsored by then-Conservative MP Mark Warawa (Langley-Aldergrove, BC) proposed a GST holiday on any “tax, duty or fee imposed in respect of carbon.” In 2017, the bill was defeated during the Second Reading with a vote of 205 against and 85 in favour. The NDP and Liberals were opposed to the bill.Then-NDP MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, QC) described the proposal as violating “the polluter pays principle." None of the NDP MPs voted in favour of the GST break at that time.“The fight against climate change is certainly my first priority,” said Dusseault. “There must be a price on polluting.”On Tuesday, Conservative MP Damien Kurek (Battle River-Crowfoot, AB) informed the House of Commons that he found the NDP stance perplexing or unclear.“February of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating,” said Kurek. “In April of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In June of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating.”“In October of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating,” said Kurek. “In December of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In February, that party voted against a break on home heating. On June 6, that party voted against and in October, that party voted against. Then, on Tuesday, the NDP finally figured out Canadians are struggling.”Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, ON) questioned the fairness of removing the GST from all metered electricity homeowners use with baseboard heaters. “How is that fair?” asked Gerretsen.“How do we differentiate between heating with electricity versus when they are playing their PlayStation with electricity?” asked Gerretsen.“When my kids are playing on their PlayStation or Xbox and they are using electricity, we are not going to be paying GST on that if I happen to be one of the people who also has baseboard heaters or an electric forced air furnace.”Tuesday evening, the House of Commons adjourned debate on the NDP motion and deferred a formal vote.
The NDP introduced a motion in the House of Commons on Tuesday to remove the GST from home heating.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, critics pointed out that the NDP had voted against a similar bill six years ago, which aimed to eliminate the GST on the carbon tax.“I believe all of us opposition parties should not only be in opposition but in proposition, that we should push for the ideas that make this country better, that help Canadians in their daily lives,” said New Democrat MP Taylor Bachrach (Skeena-Bulkley Valley, BC), sponsor of the motion. Repealing the GST on heat “is going to make a substantial difference,” he said.The motion asked that “the House call on the government to remove the GST from all forms of home heating.” No specific cost was disclosed for the proposed deduction. However, a 2017 report from the Budget Office indicated that GST collections from the carbon tax alone amounted to more than $267 million annually. This information was outlined in the report Bill C-342 Cost of Carbon Pricing Deduction from GST.Bill C-342 An Act to Amend the Excise Tax Act sponsored by then-Conservative MP Mark Warawa (Langley-Aldergrove, BC) proposed a GST holiday on any “tax, duty or fee imposed in respect of carbon.” In 2017, the bill was defeated during the Second Reading with a vote of 205 against and 85 in favour. The NDP and Liberals were opposed to the bill.Then-NDP MP Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke, QC) described the proposal as violating “the polluter pays principle." None of the NDP MPs voted in favour of the GST break at that time.“The fight against climate change is certainly my first priority,” said Dusseault. “There must be a price on polluting.”On Tuesday, Conservative MP Damien Kurek (Battle River-Crowfoot, AB) informed the House of Commons that he found the NDP stance perplexing or unclear.“February of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating,” said Kurek. “In April of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In June of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating.”“In October of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating,” said Kurek. “In December of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In February, that party voted against a break on home heating. On June 6, that party voted against and in October, that party voted against. Then, on Tuesday, the NDP finally figured out Canadians are struggling.”Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, ON) questioned the fairness of removing the GST from all metered electricity homeowners use with baseboard heaters. “How is that fair?” asked Gerretsen.“How do we differentiate between heating with electricity versus when they are playing their PlayStation with electricity?” asked Gerretsen.“When my kids are playing on their PlayStation or Xbox and they are using electricity, we are not going to be paying GST on that if I happen to be one of the people who also has baseboard heaters or an electric forced air furnace.”Tuesday evening, the House of Commons adjourned debate on the NDP motion and deferred a formal vote.
