OTTAWA—Federal Liberals are used their Opposition Day Motion Tuesday to push the government to implement several concrete measures to address growing income inequality across Canada.
“With inflation driving up the price of everything from education to groceries to pharmacare, and with median family incomes stagnating or on the decline, Canadians are being pressured from both sides,” said Liberal Leader Bob Rae. “But instead of taking the steps necessary to reduce income inequality, this government is only exacerbating the problem.”
The Liberal Opposition Day motion calls on the government to adopt five substantive measures to ease the financial strain felt by Canadians, including: rolling back their recent Employment Insurance Premium, ending their punitive new claw back of Employment Insurance benefits, making tax credits, such as the Family Caregiver Tax Credit, refundable, adapting the Registered Disability Savings Plan available to sufferers of chronic diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, and removing interest charges from the federal component of student loans.
“The Governor Bank of Canada, the Conference Board of Canada and the Dean of the Rotman School of Management have all warned us that income inequality threatens sustainable prosperity,” said Mr. Rae. “Liberals understand that we need to both generate economic growth and ensure that this growth is shared with all Canadians. Thus, we will continue to push this issue in Parliament and pressure the government to take immediate action.”
