Justin Trudeau is kicking off a Liberal caucus retreat by insisting his government will not back down on a plan to end tax loopholes it maintains give some wealthy small business owners an unfair advantage.
The prime minister says the government is open to finding better ways to fix the problem — but it is determined to fix it.
Liberal MPs have been inundated with complaints about the proposed tax changes and have come to the retreat hoping to persuade Finance Minister Bill Morneau to adjust his plan.
Trudeau’s opening remarks to the retreat signal that the government is willing to make adjustments but won’t abandon the proposals in the face of a growing backlash from doctors, lawyers, shopkeepers and others who have incorporated their small businesses in order to pay less income tax.
Trudeau is also urging Liberal backbenchers not to spend time patting themselves on the back over the government’s accomplishments in the first half of its four-year mandate.
He’s warning them there is plenty of heavy lifting ahead in the second half of the mandate.
The Canadian Press
