MP Wayne Long ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ After Caucus Meeting with Morneau
OTTAWA – Wayne Long emerged from a Liberal caucus meeting “cautiously optimistic” that Finance Minister Bill Morneau will make changes to his proposed tax reforms that he hopes will satisfy the concerns of small business owners.
“For the first time in a long time, I feel cautiously optimistic,” said Long in a phone interview from Ottawa after the meeting. “He appeared to be listening to us. There was an air of cooperation and a spirit of openness.”
Morneau didn’t talk about specific changes he plans to make, but he told the Saint-John Rothesay MP and his Liberal colleagues that he will be doing so soon.
“He provided no details today,” said Long. “But he said they’ll be rolled out over the next week. He has listened and said he will be making tweaks and changes to the proposals that [I hope] will be more palatable to Canadians.”
Long had been concerned going into the meeting. Attendance was mandatory, he said, and there was “apprehension” about what would be discussed. “Is it going to be about ‘doubling down’ on the government’s key messages [to date], or would there be signals that the government was starting to listen?”
He was encouraged by Morneau’s approach in the meeting today.
“He heard the message loud and clear. The consultation was a true consultation. We’ll just have to wait and see who the changes will affect and how.”
There was a concrete piece of good news for small business owners. Morneau told them he was lowering the small business tax rate from 10.5 percent to 9 percent, fulfilling an election campaign promise from 2015.
“The rate was already the lowest in the G7,” said Long. “This is nothing but good news. This will foster growth and development. It’s important for small businesses across the country and the [millions] employed by them.”
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