Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are trying to write their way into Canadians’ nice list by removing the GST (and HST, in provinces where the provincial sales tax is combined with the federal tax) from everyday goods and common gifts for two months starting Dec. 14.
The new tax break will apply to children’s clothing and toys, books, Christmas trees, most food, and some beverages that were not already tax exempt including some alcohol. The government has also promised, but since delayed, a $250 rebate cheque that was set to be delivered to Canadians who worked, earned $150,000 or less, and filed taxes in 2023 sometime in the new year.
And while some are merry about the prospects of a forthcoming GST/HST holiday and a (now uncertain) one-time $250 cheque, many are greeting what is viewed as an “entirely political” move with a “bah humbug”.
The latter move has also been criticized for excluding seniors, those living with disabilities and other vulnerable Canadians.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds that 45 per cent of Canadians believe the announced tax holiday, set to take effect on Dec. 14, will help them at least a little over the next two months. Fewer, approximately one-in-three (36%), say the same of a one-time $250 cheque from the government, an idea that was initially a part of the Liberal plan for Canadians but has now evidently been shelved like an elf, facing criticism from the NDP.
The lack of support from leader Jagmeet Singh and the NDP is due to the criteria for eligibility to receive a cheque. The federal government announced The Working Canadians Rebate for those who worked in 2023 and earned less than $150,000. Singh argues that new graduates, people with disabilities, and seniors should be included. These new data suggest that lower-income people are the least likely to say they are eligible for the rebate. Two-in-five (38%) with incomes lower than $25,000 and 35 per cent of those earning between $25,000 and $49,999 say they would not be eligible. So, while lower-income Canadians are most likely to say a payment would benefit them, they are also most likely to say the offering would miss them entirely.
For their part, 84 per cent of Canadians believe these policies are politically motivated, while far fewer (7%) say the government genuinely wants to help people.
