Island Liberal MPs should be more vocal

Our four Liberal MPs’ ridings’ economic base consists mostly of small businesses including tourism, agriculture, fisheries, services, retail and manufacturing related enterprises.

This hard-working, risk-taking constituency will be negatively affected by Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s so-called tax fairness policy designed to “strengthen the middle class”.

These proposed changes are not only targeting professional corporations, but also the small businesses in the primary resource industry sectors. These business owners and their families’ ability to retire with a sound financial future built on hard work will be jeopardized by these proposed changes.

The tax proposals impair their ability to sell their small businesses to family members with negative financial consequences.

The Island MPs and our upperclass minister and prime minister should be cautious about believing that the resistance from these “middle-class” businesses affected by the changes will quiet down come election time in 2019. Many of my business colleagues who have reached out to their Liberal MPs, including MP Lawrence MacAulay were told to simply contact the finance department. There is little to no interest in being true representatives of their constituencies’ concerns.

Notwithstanding MP Wayne Easter’s public negative comments about the policies, there is little or no push back by our Island MPs on this Liberal tax grab. MPs who want to be re-elected should be careful about their decision to toe the party (PM’s) line and not aggressively present their constituencies’ concerns.

MacAulay and Easter have agriculture bases, MP Bobby Morrissey has a fisheries background and MP Sean Casey has a professional and small business background. They all understand the flaws in the tax reforms, but lack the fortitude to advocate for their constituency and stand up to Minister Morneau’s unfair tax grab. Election 2019 will be here very soon.

Gerry Gallant

Souris West