March 25, 2010
NDP MISINFORMATION INVADES CARIBOO-CHILCOTIN

100 MILE HOUSE - MLA Donna Barnett says Adrian Dix’s misinformation campaign is unwelcome in Cariboo-Chilcotin.

“People of the Cariboo-Chilcotin appreciate honesty,” says Barnett. “Adrian Dix and the NDP are either deliberately misleading the public for political gain or just plain lacking the knowledge to understand the facts on the HST process.”

The facts are that the federal government has already finalized the Harmonized Sales Tax and it will come into effect July 1. As part of that agreement, the provincial government will receive $1.6 billion that will go towards supporting British Columbians during a challenging global economy.

“The reality is the NDP have no economic plan or sense,” says Barnett. “They were wrong on lowering personal income taxes, they were wrong when it came to corporate taxes, they were wrong on small business taxes and they are wrong on the HST.

“The NDP claim to support small businesses, but they have attacked everything our government has done to build our economy and our community’s small businesses,” adds Barnett. “By 2012, all small businesses will pay zero percent tax.”

So far, the provincial government has accelerated a reduction in the small business corporate income tax rate from 4.5 to 2.5 per cent – a 44 per cent reduction - for an estimated total savings of $401 million for small business over three years. This is the second-lowest rate in Canada. The provincial government will eliminate the tax entirely by April 1, 2012. On January 1, 2010, British Columbia increased the small business income tax threshold to $500,000, making B.C.’s the highest threshold in Canada. This is more than double the threshold of 2002, and represents a savings to small businesses of $20 million per year. As of January 1, 2010, B.C. also has the lowest provincial personal income taxes in Canada for individuals earning up to $118,000 annually.

“I am not sure if the NDP believe their own mistruths or not,” concludes Barnett. “But, once again, we are seeing further evidence that the NDP are completely inept and recklessly scaring people. In their desperation to gain political favour, we see that truth has no place in the NDP.”

Vancouver- Kingsway NDP MLA Adrian Dix has come to the Cariboo-Chilcotin and has deliberately misinformed local residents and small businesses that provincial MLAs have the opportunity to cancel the HST through a vote that is, in fact, about eliminating the Provincial Sales Tax.

Visit Donna’s website at www.donnabarnettmla.bc.ca 

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