Politics

Trudeau Suspends Sales Tax, Offers Canadians Checks

NOV 22 2024·Updated NOV 23 2024

Story

Above: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in a group photo as part of the G20 Summit Rio de Janeiro 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna on Nov. 19, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Image credit: Wagner Meier/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a CA$6.3B ($4.5B) economic relief package, including a Goods and Services Tax (GST) break and a CA$250 ($143) rebate check to Canadians making CA$150K ($107K) or less.
Financial Post
National Post
The temporary GST break, which will reportedly cost CA$1.6B ($1.14B) on its own, will be in effect between Dec. 14 and Feb. 14. The one-time check, which will go out to an estimated 18.7M Canadians, will be sent in the spring.
National Post
bnnbloomberg.ca
The tax break will cover meals, salads, snacks, and alcohol (beer, wine, and cider); restaurant meals, including dine-in, takeout, and delivery; children's clothing, footwear, diapers, toys; books, puzzles, print newspapers; and holiday items like Christmas trees.
Government of Canada
BBC News
The government estimates that for a family spending CA$2K on basic foods, meals, and children's goods, the tax break will save them CA$100 on GST tax over a two-month period.
BBC News
Government of Canada
This comes as Trudeau's Liberal Party trails the Conservatives by 18% in the latest polling analysis from Canadian polling website ThreeThirtyEight. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre did not say whether his party would vote for the bill, but did claim Trudeau would "ironically" be raising taxes "in just a few months." The election is scheduled for October 2025.
National Post
Firstpost

Sources Split

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The Spin

Right narrative

After causing the cost of living crisis and destroying Canadians with his COVID policies, Trudeau is conducting a shameful vote-buying scheme. Not only is this $250 offer a slap in the face to working Canadians, but many of the food items included in the tax break were already tax-exempt. This plan will not save the prime minister from his inevitable political demise.

Youtube

Toronto Star

Left narrative

Trudeau’s tax policy reflects an effort to provide immediate, broad relief during a global inflation crisis. While no one, not even the prime minister, would claim this is a complete economic solution, these measures demonstrate empathy and address widespread financial struggles, laying the groundwork for future stability.

CBC