“The Government has abandoned working families”
Published: October 31, 2007
Source: CLC
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OTTAWA – “It’s the end of the month. The bills are piling up on the kitchen tables of working families. But they are not the focus of the federal government’s mini-budget,” says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“The government has abandoned working families. It is beyond comprehension that they stubbornly refuse to help ordinary working Canadians get ahead.”

“The real priorities of Canadians are to make our children smarter, our lives healthier, our retirements more secure. Instead, they choose the trickle-down theory. This theory’s been tried, it has never worked yet they continue to try it.”

“When fully implemented, the proposed giveaway on corporate taxes would exceed the total resources needed to deliver on child care, on a national prescription drug program, on a commitment to upgrade transportation and urban infrastructure. Indeed, these would altogether require less than the current and projected surpluses,” explains Georgetti who adds: “Whose side are they on? That’s the question for working families.”

“Each time such measures are adopted, access to child care, education and training, prescription drugs or retirement security become incrementally more difficult for working families.”


Georgetti stresses that years of corporate tax cuts caused our economy to lose over 300 000 manufacturing and resource processing jobs recently and working families need action so industries and people can deal with the impacts of the high Canadian dollar.

“This mini-budget misses the mark. Our hard-hit manufacturing and forest sectors need support for investment in skills and new machinery to adapt to a very challenging environment.”

The Canadian Labour Congress’ proposals on corporate income taxes and on personal taxes, submitted to the House of Commons’ Finance Committee are available on line at www.canadianlabour.ca