Entrepreneurs are wealth producers in Canada

Re: “Tax reform a turning point for Liberals,” column, Sept. 7.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tax reforms are ill-conceived and show a clear lack of understanding as to what produces wealth in a country. His tax changes are an attack on the entrepreneur class.

It is this group of small businesses that produce innovation and jobs. Economists know that the multiplier effect for the economy is greater with money spent from this group than from government spending. The entrepreneurs take the risks, and not all ventures succeed.

If Trudeau were honest about looking for equality, he would also add an additional tax on government workers who receive benefit packages and from a defined-benefit pension. A defined-benefit pension is based upon the time one works for the government. The only qualification is time, not production, and the workers’ retirement income is guaranteed.

Even if the economy collapses, and stock market values are cut in half, the government employees’ retirement income is guaranteed and even increases with inflation. This income certainty in retirement is a great benefit and is above all other private-sector workers, and this benefit is not reflected in the tax paid.

The entrepreneur takes the risk and has no guaranteed pension. If Trudeau wants to tax the working producers of wealth, to be fair he should also tax the elite work force in our society, the public-sector benefit packages and the guarantee within their defined-benefit pension plans.

Or maybe they are just Liberals of old who run deficits and increase taxes.

Neil Cormie Saanich