The Senate Thursday night in a 58-22 vote passed into law the Liberal government’s temporary $2.7 billion repeal of the federal sales tax on select goods, per Blacklock’s Reporter. The bill takes effect Saturday. “Could you imagine the optics of not voting for this bill yet the businesses have already incurred the expenses?” asked Liberal-appointed Sen. Tony Loffreda.“They won’t have the revenues that come with it. This is a very important point.”.GST pause costs 70% more than Freeland bargained for.Bill C-78 An Act Respecting Temporary Cost Of Living Relief suspends GST charges on itemized goods from December 14 to February 15. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called it a Christmas boost for families impacted by the cost of living.“Now is the right time for all of us to proactively take that step to say, yes, let’s do this,” Freeland testified December 4 at the Senate National Finance Committee.“Let’s help the people.”Ten Liberal appointees opposed the bill or abstained on the final vote: Sens. Dawn Anderson, Robert Black, Colin Deacon, Percy Downe, Mary Jane McCallum, Rebecca Patterson, Jim Quinn, David Richards, Mary Robinson and Krista Ross..Senate hears Trudeau’s ‘GST Holiday’ saves families less than $5.Critics in Third Reading debate described Bill C-78 as a costly pre-election gimmick. Sen. Denise Batters called it a “tiny and temporary tax trick,” “an ill-considered Trudeau government policy that seems to have been drawn up on the back of a napkin.”Sen. Jim Quinn complained provinces that harmonized their provincial sales tax collections with the GST were never consulted.“The province of New Brunswick, which is where I am from, found out about it the evening before the announcement,” said Quinn.“Premier King in Prince Edward Island found out through a news release and Nova Scotia was in the middle of an election.”.WATCH: ‘A GIANT MESS’ — CFIB says GST tax break costs businesses thousands .Cabinet said the varied selection of goods designated tax-free was intended to focus on holiday cheer. Senators complained the result was a bewildering mix that saw hockey cards designated taxable but Pokémon cards tax-free. Guitars were taxable while toy guitars were made tax-free.Sen. Pamela Wallin said the tax schedule was confusing.“Sticker books are not included in this but colouring books are,” said Wallin.“If in a gift basket 90% of the goods are GST-free you can make the whole thing GST-free, but that has required many retailers to go in and repackage what’s in the basket.”“Model planes: With the glue included it’s GST-free but if you buy the glue separately it’s not,” said Wallin. “This is insanity for anyone who is trying to run a store.”GST-free listed alphabetically 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.
The Senate Thursday night in a 58-22 vote passed into law the Liberal government’s temporary $2.7 billion repeal of the federal sales tax on select goods, per Blacklock’s Reporter. The bill takes effect Saturday. “Could you imagine the optics of not voting for this bill yet the businesses have already incurred the expenses?” asked Liberal-appointed Sen. Tony Loffreda.“They won’t have the revenues that come with it. This is a very important point.”.GST pause costs 70% more than Freeland bargained for.Bill C-78 An Act Respecting Temporary Cost Of Living Relief suspends GST charges on itemized goods from December 14 to February 15. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland called it a Christmas boost for families impacted by the cost of living.“Now is the right time for all of us to proactively take that step to say, yes, let’s do this,” Freeland testified December 4 at the Senate National Finance Committee.“Let’s help the people.”Ten Liberal appointees opposed the bill or abstained on the final vote: Sens. Dawn Anderson, Robert Black, Colin Deacon, Percy Downe, Mary Jane McCallum, Rebecca Patterson, Jim Quinn, David Richards, Mary Robinson and Krista Ross..Senate hears Trudeau’s ‘GST Holiday’ saves families less than $5.Critics in Third Reading debate described Bill C-78 as a costly pre-election gimmick. Sen. Denise Batters called it a “tiny and temporary tax trick,” “an ill-considered Trudeau government policy that seems to have been drawn up on the back of a napkin.”Sen. Jim Quinn complained provinces that harmonized their provincial sales tax collections with the GST were never consulted.“The province of New Brunswick, which is where I am from, found out about it the evening before the announcement,” said Quinn.“Premier King in Prince Edward Island found out through a news release and Nova Scotia was in the middle of an election.”.WATCH: ‘A GIANT MESS’ — CFIB says GST tax break costs businesses thousands .Cabinet said the varied selection of goods designated tax-free was intended to focus on holiday cheer. Senators complained the result was a bewildering mix that saw hockey cards designated taxable but Pokémon cards tax-free. Guitars were taxable while toy guitars were made tax-free.Sen. Pamela Wallin said the tax schedule was confusing.“Sticker books are not included in this but colouring books are,” said Wallin.“If in a gift basket 90% of the goods are GST-free you can make the whole thing GST-free, but that has required many retailers to go in and repackage what’s in the basket.”“Model planes: With the glue included it’s GST-free but if you buy the glue separately it’s not,” said Wallin. “This is insanity for anyone who is trying to run a store.”GST-free listed alphabetically 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.
