The resolution that Jack Layton was touting as one of the best new ideas being put forth by his party did not make it to the floor of the NDP’s Halifax convention.
Bruce Hyer, the party’s small business critic, had hoped to get delegates to voice their support for his proposal to phase out income tax for small business.
But the resolutions were put into priority in the hours before the convention began. And Mr. Hyers’s proposal was so far down the list that it was not raised before time ran out.
Undaunted, he says he will introduce a similar concept in the House of when Parliament resumes in the fall.
“I am disappointed it didn’t get final approval,” Mr. Hyer said Saturday.
But “our Leader, Jack Layton, is totally behind this, it’s a high priority for him. So, one way or the other, we are going to be bringing it forward to the House of Commons anyway.”
Mr. Hyer pointed out that a similar proposal has already been enacted in Manitoba where there is an NDP provincial government. Income tax for small business in that province will be phased out by next year.
Eliminating the federal tax will cost $5.7-billion. But Mr. Hyer says that is small change compared to the corporate tax cuts that have been brought in, or promised, by Liberal and Conservative governments.
Tax cuts are not exactly a socialist proposition.
But “this is going to be the new social democracy of the future,” said Mr. Hyer. “We believe in jobs. Who creates jobs but businesses? But it’s the small businesses that are creating those jobs.”
The Conservative government is unlikely to jump to support the NDP on a money bill of this nature.
But, if the NDP do introduce a Private Members Bill or an opposition day motion to phase out income tax on small business, said Mr. Hyer, “it will be noticed by small business if the Liberals or the Conservatives vote against this."
