A recent tax “folio” by the CRA indicates employee discounts on items like shoes and lunches would now be considered taxable benefits, and therefore part of their income.
Nothing like forcing more small business owners to account for every small benefit their employees take advantage of, cause lo-behold you get caught not accounting for it.
Which, as Bonokoski points out, means they will be eliminated.
When the blu-lib caucus finds a champion willing to lead a revolt you will know because Butts will be getting thrown under the bus.
Aren’t they supposed to be for the common man and the working class?
Aren’t the main Canadian Liberal voters exactly these kind of folks. Good. No sympathy. They got what they voted for. Good and hard.
So, if the discounts are eliminated, The governments gets nothing. Just another way to screw the little guy. Liberals don’t seem to care.
I’ve never supposed they were for anyone but themselves. The Liberal Party: Friends helping Friends. (To public funds.)
No,that’s the NDP’s schtick,the Liberals are for the “middle class”,whom they never define as they haven’t a clue as to who they are.
The LPC judges middle class as anyone who wasn’t invited to the Christmas party at Power Corporation or Bombardier.
This idea simply means the poor kid who works for minimum wage won’t get a break on his lunch anymore,or a discount on anything else as the bookkeeping will be too expensive and too much bother,so they’ll just eliminate it.
If Butts and his Boy are looking to piss off everyone except the .001% elite and government employees,they are succeeding magnificently. Let’s hope Harpo Marx and the Conservatives can muster a campaign effective enough to kick their asses in 2019.
More likely we’ll end up with that “sexy” (msm description,not mine!) turban bandit and his group of merry socialists holding the balance of power.
Will the Trudeaus be paying tax on their travel allowances, nannies and other benefits?
Their Christmas vacation?
I guess fast food workers aren’t quite as entitled to their entitlements as Liberal teat sucker David Dingwall.
No, Marxists are only for those that are more equal. In this case themselves.
Don’t the politicians get free food or at least discounted?
Don’t the politicians get subsidised hair cut?
Don’t the politicians get subsidised everything.
What a lot of useless scum.
Seems to me that the Libs are saying a word means just what they say it means. The employees are getting discounts not income. The employer is selling what they own for a price they set as owners of that private property. Are the Libs saying that anyone who gets a discount for whatever reason has received income?
While they are at it why not say employees, including the million or so government employees, are getting subsidized for heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer whenever they are on employer property.
The same minds that see a tax cut, or just not raising a tax, as subsidizing the tax payer.
Liberal’s to adapt a classic for their next campaign;: hitting on both the green agenda and the tax evaders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIcoa0oI5Cc
Scrooge explains clothing…
“Aren’t they supposed to be for the common man and the working class?”
More like that song which starts
“The working class can kiss my arse” methinks
And what of government workers 2-hour lunch periods, extensive benefits packages, ridiculously long paid vacation time, free parking, free in-office coffee … all on top of much higher pay than the private sector ? What PUNISHMENT TAXES will be levied on the leaches living the sweet life on government (taxpayer) money ?
It seems that the Spawn’s puppet masters want to play a little class warfare. Dividing the nation into employees and owners is an old game and one in which the Spawn’s father was more apt as was his mentors: Marx, Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Guevara, et al.
This weekend Michael Campbell pointed out that both the leaders of the federal NDP and Liberals are big fans of Castro. Taking out the mindless mushy middle of the Canadian electorate, combined they represent 50 to 60 % of the nation.
Meh. These exemptions/loopholes create economic distortions. Eliminating them is the right thing to do.
Don’t play with trolls.
This Just In! False-Dough’s Federal Government is beyond desperate for finding new sources of money for its bottomless pit.
Here are some comments about that song and variations on it:
https://everything2.com/title/The+People%2527s+Flag+is+Palest+Pink
It appears to be a parody of that socialist anthem The Red Flag. In other words, it’s the meaning of Animal Farm set to music.
What exactly is an “economic distortion”? Is that some people having more money than others? How about transfer payments? That has to be an economic distortion. What’s about unionized workers? BIG economics distortion there. Hard to think of anything involving the transfer of money that does not entail an economic distortion of some sort.
The sad part is as long as the kiddie set get their pot legalized they will vote for their new heroes again.
Any distortion that results in people having more money and government having less is a good distortion.
Everyone must be made to conform. Everyone must be equal(ly miserable). You will conform.
They could get around it by calling the employee price the “normal price”, and charge everyone else a “premium price’. Problem solved. Employees aren’t getting a discount any more, everyone else is paying a premium price.
They could get around it by calling the employee price the “normal price”, and charge everyone else a “premium price’. Problem solved. Employees aren’t getting a discount any more, everyone else is paying a premium price.
“The sad part is as long as the kiddie set get their pot legalized they will vote for their new heroes again.”
Yup. Right along with the small business owners who voted for them too. Show me a small business owner who votes Liberal, and I’ll show you someone who deserves the screwing.
As I’ve noted, numerous times, there are those that require pain before they pay attention – people who vote Liberal/NDP are at the pinnacle of this list. Let ’em hurt.
Small businesses in Canada should be offshoring themselves. Protects assets from unlawful seizure by thieving kleptocrats like Trudeau and Mobutu…
I note with interest that Mr. “economic distortion” above is just as in favour of this particular crude and hurtful miscarriage of public policy as he was of Mr. Trudeau’s outlay to Mr. Khadr. An “economic distortion” is an induced behaviour, contrary to the efficient allocation of resources, resulting from the rewards/penalties on offer in the situation.
I find it difficult to square the notion that being rewarded for engaging in Islamic terrorism is the same in economic terms as penalizing a gainfully-employed person in a legitimate business enterprise. But, I’m sure there will be some dismissive insult available to Mr. “economic distortion” to set things right in his mind.
No matter, what I’m most interested in is how the CRA will treat Ford employees: Ford’s semi-annual promotional campaign is “Ford employee Pricing: you pay what we pay.” If Ford employees were smart, they’d buy their vehicles during the promotion, rather than at other times of the year. Just to tie the CRA up in court, mind you. Class-action law suit action. Fun and games! Beer and popcorn please!
On the other hand, the weather has been downright summery here in SW Ontario — may the summer of Trudeau stupid reign on!
For all you need to know about Liberal tax policy, refer to the tax policy of the UK that inspired a song by some obscure band.
Let me tell you how it will be,
There’s one for you, nineteen for me,
Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all,
Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat,
If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.
95% tax rates in the UK got them to elect Margaret Thatcher, who broke the death grip unions had on the country, and other such things. Unfortunately, I do not believe that Canada is collectively intelligent enough to vote for Margaret Thatcher over Bob Rae. Canada, in my opinion, given a choice between the actual Son of God, and Kathleen Wynne, would pick Wynne. If Canada’s next election was between satan himself, and a random no criminal record Canadian citizen, the majority in Canada would vote satan. I think we will see 20% mortgage interest rates again, just like during the first Trudeau. And it will be much sooner than any crazy person would guess.
The same people who pushed Bob Rae to victory still live in Ontario, and they will never get less stupid. McGuinty was worse than Rae, Wynne is worse than McGuinty. Great news Ontario, your next provincial government will be worse again! The one after that; new record terrible! I have faith that Ontario will win the race to the Canadian bottom, even though it will be very close with Redmonton electing people like Notely, and Vancouver electing Horgans… I fully expect Saskatchewan to try to regain the lead by out Notleying Alberta next election. I have faith that people who have no use for social conservatives, will ensure that SK out Wynnes Ontario. Heck, maybe we can even out Trudeau Canada! GO SASKATCHEWAN!!!
When Harrison penned that Taxman song, the top tax rate in the UK was 98%. Just looked it up. One for you 19 for me was low balling it.
I keep telling people – when the left uses the word “rich” they mean anyone with a job….
Unfortunately, some people never learn, no matter how often or how painfully the lesson is taught. I suspect the majority of Liberal voters fall into that category.
I fear very much fear you will be correct about Saskatchewan . As for taxing the employee discounts it is ridiculous and at the same time a good thing . It is always easy to watch while other people’s money is being taken ( aka rich small business people ) , less so when it is your own . It will be hard to convince even the stupidest people when you increase the tax burden of someone working in a fast food restraunt you are taxing people who make 150,000 plus . The Liberals are convinced every path they take is the correct , moral fair one . The media has supported this view . They are starting fires everywhere and adding gas . Again I say – Burn baby , burn .
The lyrics were easier at 95%. I now fear for this nation. I remember the horror of giving these establishment political chameleons power in 2015.
It’s even worse that I thought it would be. I should have known given the McGuinty/Wynne debacle, now unfolding federally.
The voters should have known better, but they didn’t. How can we conclude they will now, especially with never Sheer useful idiots abounding?
The “middle class” voters in the 905 belt/Southern Ontario better give their heads a shake in 2019 and return to the Tories, or they will drag us all down.
If they don’t, this country will be in great jeopardy, with coercion surely rising. Nobody should be surprised at this latest tax confiscation.
Count on many more folios on business &/or rental use of the primary residence; taxing all dividends at the top rate; RRSPs (oh yeah the Finance Dept has been after them a long time, not seeming to recognize they’re actually a great savings plan for the government); OAS to 75; CPP to 70; & on & on.
This is inevitable because of the reckless spending of this government. They milk the “middle class” for votes and then come for their money.
The pretend small businesses are “rich” who don’t pay their “fair” share, when reality is those earning over $100K/yr pay half of income taxes.
The real truth is they are desperate for dough; our dough. They nail the poor with carbon taxes, they nail the working and so-called middle class voters, now they nail everyone with the new NEP, the No Energy Plan. It’s a part of the No Productivty for Everyone (NOPE), coming soon to a fake election.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2017/10/07/trudeaus-nep-redux-a-no-energy-program
If the Grits win the next Ontario election Canada’s goose is cooked. Grits haven’t a clue about real life or economics; they’re just progressive puppets.
They just want your money, all of it. They will spend all that and borrow every cent they can. Then they’ll blame the rich until all the money’s gone.
This is known as the California model, though Ontario has managed to surpass her as having the largest per capita sub sovereign debt on the planet.
Justin and his CBC/mediocracy and crony capitalist buds will assure a divide and conquer strategy by saving and taxing the middle class all at once, and deking out some “real” conservatives. All they will have to do is fake reality. They did it before they will do it again. Voters fall for it every time.
Thank you, Lindal … for writing my exact response to another leftist invention. Another fabricated word, phrase … another bumper sticker slogan … for Socialists driving Priusii. Utterly meaningless. You nailed it! And by “it” … I mean “the troll”
Another ongoing problem is that there’s always a fresh batch of naive, uninformed, know-nothings eligible to vote in every election, and they invariably fall for the sizzle rather than the steak.
We used to get a turkey from the company for Xmas and at some point, we found out that the government of the day(don’t remember which one) started to tax the employee for getting a free turkeys. DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL. FREE THE TURKEYS!!
Would this apply to the discounted lunches and dinners MPs get at the House of Commons cafeteria? Asking for a friend…
Sorry to say, but no. You see Jim, in Socialist Nirvana, some people are more equal than the plebes. Those who are more equal work for the government and are exempt from all those rules.
A distortion being when tax is arbitrarily lodged against one exchange of value but not another.
A great example is in the US. Back in WW2 price and wage controls induced employers to offer health insurance for employees as a way around them. They also aren’t taxed and a ruling stated that they didn’t factor into negotiations with unions. Then everyone started paying for all their healthcare with the insurance, which started US healthcare into the disaster it is today. The Cadillac tax is the only part of Obamacare that’s defensible.