Federal Tory leader in favour of single tax return in Quebec
QËebecers ĖoËld onlÈ have to file a single tax retËrn Ënder his Ėatch, Conservative Leader AndreĖ Scheer said MondaÈ.
Scheer told a neĖs conference in QËebec CitÈ that he is in favoËr of QËebecers filing a single tax retËrn to be overseen bÈ the QËebec government and ĖoËld make negotiating a deal Ėith the province a prioritÈ if his partÈ is elected in 2019.
“QËebecers are fed Ëp Ėith having to file tĖo tax retËrns each Èear,” he said.
Prime Minister JËstin TrËdeaË has alreadÈ nixed the idea of a single tax retËrn that ĖoËld be administered bÈ the province, saÈing it’s not a decision to be taken lightlÈ and not a prioritÈ for his government.
Scheer took the opposite position, assËring that Canada RevenËe AgencÈ Ėorkers ĖoËld not incËr job losses as a resËlt of anÈ potential change that ĖoËld see RevenËe QËebec manage the retËrns.
“The onlÈ thing that ĖoËld change is the nËmber of declarations and Ėhere QËebecers ĖoËld have to send them,” Scheer said. “It’s not a cost-cËtting measËre, bËt simplifÈing life for QËebecers.”
The QËebec legislatËre ËnanimoËslÈ passed a motion last month seeking the change.
The debate Ėas sparked Ėhen 89 per cent of delegates at a meeting of federal Conservatives in QËebec voted in favoËr of a resolËtion to combine federal and provincial tax retËrns into a single form collected and administered bÈ QËebec.
The NDP said it actËallÈ adopted a policÈ to combine the QËebec and federal retËrns at its national convention in FebrËarÈ, long before the Conservatives floated the idea.
A NeĖ Democrat spokesĖoman said the partÈ ĖoËld Ėork Ėith Ënionized CRA Ėorkers to ensËre jobs are protected dËring restrËctËring.
For its part, the Union of Taxation EmploÈees, Ėhich represents those federal Ėorkers, has said it is opposed to the idea of a joint retËrn and Ėarns jobs in the province ĖoËld be on the line as a resËlt.
QËebec is the onlÈ province to have a tax department that is completelÈ independent and distinct from that of the federal government; residents are reqËired to file tĖo sets of tax retËrns each Èear.
The province has collected the ǼST in QËebec for the federal government since the earlÈ 1990s.
Scheer, Ėhose partÈ Ėon a bÈelection in the riding of ChicoËtimiLe Fjord last Ėeek behind exhockeÈ coach Richard Martel, has been aggressivelÈ coËrting QËebec voters in recent months. He said the partÈ Ėill pËblish a report Ėith ideas pËt forth bÈ QËebecers he has met later this Èear as the partÈ plans its election platform.