Conservatives call for
Conservatives call for This article is more than 10 years old

Conservatives call for “less progressive” tax system

Conservatives from a riding in Calgary, the host city for the party’s convention kicking off on October 31, want to see a “less progressive” tax system. They’d do this by “reducing the number of personal income tax brackets.” A less progressive tax system means more tax cuts for the rich and less tax revenue overall […]

Conservatives from a riding in Calgary, the host city for the party’s convention kicking off on October 31, want to see a “less progressive” tax system. They’d do this by “reducing the number of personal income tax brackets.”

A less progressive tax system means more tax cuts for the rich and less tax revenue overall to pay for vital programs and services. Already, inequality has been worsening in Canada where the top 1% of tax-filers now receives 14% of all income, up sharply from 8% in the early 1980s. And yet, Conservatives seem to think it’s fair for the wealthiest among us to pay less.

It’s a bad idea – and an unpopular one. Canadians are concerned about the growing gap between rich and poor, and are willing to pay higher taxes to fight it. Last year, a survey on inequality found that 77 per cent of Canadians see the growing income gap as a critical issue that must be addressed. In fact, almost two-thirds of Canadians said they were willing to pay slightly more tax in order to protect social programs such as health care, post-secondary education and pensions.

If we further cut revenue with lopsided tax cuts, Canada will become even more unequal, and we’ll be unable to make investments in services we need.

Photo: Images_of_Money. Used under a Creative Commons BY 2.0 licence.

Our journalism is powered by readers like you.

We’re an award-winning non-profit news organization that covers topics like social and economic inequality, big business and labour, and right-wing extremism.

Help us build so we can bring to light stories that don’t get the attention they deserve from Canada’s big corporate media outlets.

 

Donate
PressProgress
PressProgress is an award-winning non-profit news organization focused on uncovering and unpacking the news through original investigative and explanatory journalism.

Most Shared

South Asian Studies Institute NEWS

Take Back Alberta Leaders are Training ‘Scrutineers’ to Infiltrate Campaigns and Act as ‘Security’ on Voting Day

Related Stories

NEWS

“Where is Our Museum?” asks Punjabi and broader South Asian Canadian community in BC

View the post
NEWS

Toronto Police Arrested A Striking Worker At York University. Labour Experts Are Concerned Police Infringed on Charter Rights.

View the post
NEWS

Take Back Alberta Founder Vows to Fight Election Watchdog’s Investigation Into Donors

View the post
Our free email newsletter delivers award-winning journalism directly to your inbox.
Get Canadian Investigative News You Won't Find in Corporate Newspapers.
Our free email newsletter delivers award-winning journalism to your inbox.
Get Canadian Investigative News You Won't Find in Corporate Newspapers.