The Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation (CTF) is calling out the premier for proposing to burden Manitoba families with another tax.
“This government was elected to do hard things,” CTF Prairie Director Todd MacKay said. “It needs to get down to that rather than pass the buck to Manitobans on huge new tax increases.”
On Wednesday, Premier Brian Pallister said Manitobans will have to start paying health-care premiums or prepare to see services cut.
“It’s most certainly a tax increase. There’s no doubt of that,” he said of the proposal Wednesday.
READ MORE: Manitoba premier considering health-care premiums
A move the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation said goes against every promise Pallister campaigned on just months ago.
“This government was specifically elected to take that pressure off Manitoba families,” MacKay said. “To even suggest that they are even going to do this is a real betrayal of commitment.”
When Pallister was asked about possible tax hikes during the election campaign he made it clear to voters it was a key difference in electing the Tories over the NDP.
Archive: Brian Pallister discusses tax hikes in 2016, 2017 media events
“The difference between Mr. Selinger and I is obvious on this – every time he is faced with a difficult challenge choosing between value and taxes, he chooses taxes,” Pallister said during one debate. “We are the only party that’s actually saying ‘look, here’s where we’re finding the money and it won’t be from you.'”
With a proposed health care tax looming, CTF said Pallister broke that promise.
“That promise was worthless,” MacKay said. “Hammering taxpayers over and over from every possible angle is just not right.”
But when questioned further Thursday, Pallister pulled back and didn’t commit to a new tax, only saying it is a possibility.
“It’s not a policy decision that we’re acting on. So give me a break,” Pallister said. “It premature to assume that we would be acting on this question because it’s just that… a question.”