Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont is promising to review the province’s tax system if his party is elected in September.
Speaking outside the Legislature on Sunday, Lamont said his party would appoint an independent commission that was requested by both the Winnipeg and Manitoba chambers of Commerce.
“If you want to see examples of how the 1% legally avoid taxes, we need look no further than PC Leader Brian Pallister and NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who both created corporations so they can avoid paying personal income taxes,” said Lamont.
Lamont has pointed out his opponents, PC Premier Brian Pallister and NDP Leader Wab Kinew have used the same legal loophole to avoid paying taxes running their income through corporations to avoid paying personal income tax at a much higher rate.
Many advocacy organizations like Canadians for Tax Fairness have called for reducing loopholes like these in order to ease the burden on households.
Lamont says he would not predjudge the results of the Commission. Adding that the ultimate goal of his party is to create jobs and grow the economy so that taxes can be lowered over the long term.
“We are focused on good jobs and investment because while tax cuts don’t lead to growth, growth can lead to tax cuts. By growing the tax base, we can lower the tax burden,” said Lamont.
In a statement to Global News, the PC Party of Manitoba called the review a “disguise,” and that only a re-elected Brian Pallister will continue to lower taxes.