Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

On March 24, 2016, Alice Wong asked two questions in the House of Commons on the topic of Small Business.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals broke their promise to business owners by suspending the tax cut to small businesses.

On December 11, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism stood in this House and stated:

I will be working closely with the Minister of Finance to ensure that our commitment to lower the tax burden on small businesses is fulfilled.

Why did the minister decide to flip-flop and lobby her own government for higher taxes?

Ms. Gudie Hutchings (Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague of the list of items that I just read off to help small businesses.

We do understand the impact to small business. We understand that they represent 90% and contribute over 40% of our GDP. That is why we are working hard with them to ensure they can avail of all the programs and initiatives that we announced in our budget that we are proud of. We will work with small and medium-sized businesses from coast to coast to coast to ensure they get the support they need going forward.

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals misled Canadian small businesses. They said one thing and did the other.

Conservatives believe that the best way to help small businesses is trade, training, and tax cuts. Instead, the Liberals are killing small businesses with taxes, taxes, and more taxes.
When will the Liberals stop raising taxes on job creators?

Ms. Gudie Hutchings (Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague of another initiative we had in our budget that we are very proud of, which was the increased marketing money for Destination Canada, increasing it by $50 million.

We know that most of these tourism industries are small and medium-sized businesses. What that $50 million is going to do is bring more customers to them, driving across our new roads and bridges too, I might add.

Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

Ms. Gudie Hutchings: The investment in Destination Canada is going to have a huge impact from coast to coast to coast in our tourism industries.

On March 8, 2016, Alice Wong asked a question about Small Business during question period.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Liberals have been giving mixed signals and dodging questions about small businesses and the new job killing start-up tax. Some days they want to increase taxes for everybody, and some days they only want to raise taxes on small business owners.

When will the Liberals abandon their job killing start-up tax?

Hon. Bardish Chagger (Minister of Small Business and Tourism, Lib.):
It is the opposite, Mr. Speaker. This government supports small and medium-sized businesses. We are committed to helping them grow. We are committed to helping them innovate, to become more productive and to become expert oriented. We have launched the Canexport program, which has received a wonderful response.

This morning, for International Women’s Day, I was with Startup Canada for its women’s day breakfast, and I met a young entrepreneur, a girl in grade 5, by the name of Frankie. She and her friend started up a business.

The spirit of entrepreneurship is here. This government recognizes that small businesses are job creators and will grow the economy.

On March 7, 2016, Alice Wong spoke in the House of Commons regarding second reading of Bill C-2, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, there are two provisions to Bill C-2. One is the reduction in the annual limit one can deposit into a tax-free savings account, and the other is a reduction in the second income tax bracket while increasing the top tax bracket. I will begin my discussion with the tax-free savings account.

The TFSA was introduced in the 2008 federal budget, back when the late Jim Flaherty was the minister of finance. Canadian families were able to invest their after-tax dollars and earn income tax-free through their TFSAs. TFSAs can be used to invest in all sorts of eligible financial products, whether they are GICs, mutual funds, or stocks and bonds, to name a few. Canadians were already taxed once on their income. The TFSA allows them to earn income on their savings without having to be taxed again. Unlike RRSPs, the TFSA alleviates the risk that governments will change the tax rates, as withdrawals from the TFSA are not taxed.

It is not surprising, especially with the Liberals set to increase taxes in the upcoming budget, that Canadians at all income levels are choosing to invest in TFSAs. The Liberals would like nothing more than to get their hands on the savings of Canadians. Simply put, the country benefits from Canadians saving their hard-earned money, and the TFSA allows them to do so. We should be encouraging saving and not discouraging it, as Bill C-2 will do.

The previous Conservative government was able to increase the TFSA contribution limit because our last full fiscal year in government was in surplus. The Auditor General confirmed this. Indeed, the Minister of Finance’s own department, in the monthly “Fiscal Monitor” publication, showed that in the first nine months of the current fiscal year ending in December, Canada’s budgetary surplus was $3 billion. Now the Liberals are choosing to squander this surplus and plunge us into massive deficits, including with Bill C-2.

I will now bring my attention to the second part of Bill C-2, which is the proposed adjustment of the income tax brackets. Since I was elected to the House of Commons in October 2008, the rates for the federal tax brackets have not changed. There is a 15% bracket, a 22% bracket, a 26% bracket, and the top bracket of 29%. With this stability, Canadians can reliably predict how much income tax they would be paying.

The new Liberal introduction of a higher tax bracket would create a situation where top-paid and top-performing professionals in Canada will be discouraged from working further and encouraged to look into ways of legally reducing their taxable income levels. In particular, I would like to point out that when we add together the combined federal and provincial marginal tax rates, Canadians who live in over half of our provinces will be paying a top combined tax rate of over 50%. These provinces include Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. This means that people in the top tax bracket will be paying the government more than half of their income for each extra dollar they make.

Does anyone in the House believe that these individuals will be seeking to earn more money when they will be paying more than half of their income in the form of income taxes? We should be encouraging Canadians to work hard and earn more money. This income tax change will have the opposite effect for those highly paid professionals who qualify for the top income tax bracket. There will be a point when people will choose to work less because the money they earn will simply be given to the government. Indeed, I foresee the only growth in high-paying jobs resulting from Bill C-2 will be of tax accountants, who will be finding ways to reduce the income tax burden on highly paid professionals. That was maybe the Liberal plan after all.

Speaking of Liberal plans, the other fact that the Liberals promised in their election platform is that the reduction of the second tax bracket will be paid for by the increase in taxes in the top tax bracket. Subsequent projections from the Department of Finance have indicated that Bill C-2 will not be revenue neutral but will put us further into deficit.

Indeed, our previous government’s election commitments, including an increase to the TFSA annual contribution rate, were contingent on balancing the budget. Not only have the Liberals squandered the surplus, but they are implementing changes that were clearly from incorrect premises.

In summary, Bill C-2 is wrong for Canadians. I will be voting against it in its current form.

The following videos are Alice Wong’s response to the Throne Speech given on January 26, 2016 in the House of Commons. Her speech was divided into two parts, as Members’ Statements and Question Period was scheduled approximately 6 minutes after her speech began.

Part 1:

Part 2:

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the voters from the Richmond Centre electoral district, who have once again placed their trust in me to be their representative. This is the third time that I have been fortunate to be elected and it is always a privilege to speak on behalf of my constituents, previously for the Richmond electoral district and today for Richmond Centre.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my supporters and volunteers in Richmond and, most important, my husband Enoch. His encouragement, support, and sacrifice have made my endeavours in Ottawa possible.

At around 8 p.m. on election day, one of the major television networks declared my defeat and, hence, my early retirement. It took another couple of hours for Elections Canada to count the rest of the ballots and, fortunately, I am here today to talk about it.

That very evening, one of my constituents sent me a line by a famous author, Mark Twain. It states, “…the report of my death was an exaggeration…”. Here I am today to tell my constituents that I will be holding the Liberal government to account as part of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition.

I would like to comment on the throne speech and discuss some of the issues I have heard in my conversations with many of my constituents from Richmond Centre.

I have been assigned the role of critic for small business. In the Richmond Centre electoral district, small businesses are a huge engine of job creation. Whether it is in top in the world restaurants, tourism, or import and export businesses, my riding is full of people who are either owners or employees of such businesses.

International trade, especially with Pacific Rim countries, is of major economic concern to my constituents because they are right in the Pacific gateway of the nation. This is why proceeding with the trans-Pacific partnership, the TPP, and continuing to implement free trade agreements is economically beneficial. Of note was the free trade agreement that our Conservative government signed with South Korea, which will stimulate economic activity for both countries and will create jobs in the Vancouver area and across Canada.

Equally important is maintaining a low-tax burden for small businesses. The Conservative government, through Bill C-59 in the last Parliament, reduced the small business tax rate from 11% to 9%, to be phased in over the next four years. I call on the new Liberal government to maintain this prudent measure, which will strengthen the job-creating small business sector.

Let us now look at the throne speech again to see if it talked about business. How many times did we see the word “business” in the throne speech? None; zero. How many times did we see the word “employment” in the throne speech? Only once, in reference to the employment insurance system, when people receive benefits for not working, whether through losing their jobs, sickness benefits, or maternity leave.

Speaking of employment insurance, we will also be watching very carefully the impact of increased payroll taxes on small businesses, which create jobs. Increased payroll taxes represent a real cost to businesses. Lower costs will create an environment for more jobs.

The throne speech does not mention how the private sector will be supported, whether with lower taxes, a reduction in red tape, training, or other measures that will encourage job creation and economic activity.

Indeed, it is disturbing to see the government going in the exact opposite direction, where a large government will be causing large deficits, large deficits will accumulate large debts, and large debts will increase the interest and expenses the government will have to pay. We all know who pays the government’s bills. It is the taxpayer who will be paying for these upcoming Liberal deficits. This upsets a lot of people.

The Deputy Speaker:
Order, please. The hon. member for Richmond Centre will have four and a half minutes when the House next resumes business on this particular question.

… [after Members’ Statements and Question Period] …

The Speaker:
Resuming debate. The member for Richmond Centre has four minutes.

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I will continue.

Before the interruption for statements and question period, I had talked about the impact of increasing Liberal deficits and government debts. This upsets a lot of people in Richmond Centre who, for the most part, are fiscally conservative and live within their means. For all the preaching the Liberals give to environmental sustainability, one would also hope that their financial measures would also be accountable and sustainable. However, it is evident they will not be, despite the fact that the Auditor General clearly showed that we, the former Conservative government, left our last full year in government with a surplus.

There was one other significant issue that came up during the recent election campaign, about which a huge number of my constituents talked to me, and that was the Liberal plan to legalize marijuana. Unlike any references to businesses, marijuana was mentioned in the throne speech. I will quote directly from the throne speech:

…the Government will introduce legislation…that will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana.

I will plainly state for the record that many constituents in Richmond Centre, including me, are against the legalization of marijuana, and I made our policy on this matter very clear during the election. As the representative for Richmond Centre, I will be watching the government’s proposed response to this very carefully.

This concludes my comments. I will close by saying that it is indeed good to be back in the House of Commons, representing my constituents and serving our great country, Canada.

Christmas Greetings from Alice Wong:

The following is a transcript:

Hi, I’m Alice Wong, MP For Richmond Centre. For many Canadians the holiday season is a time to come together and great family and friends celebrate faith and share with those less fortunate. It is an opportunity for us to reflect on the year that has passed and also look forward to the year ahead. It is with this sentiment that I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very prosperous New Year in 2016!

On December 11, 2015, Alice Wong asked a question about Small Business during question period.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister stated during the campaign that a large percentage of small businesses were nothing more than tax havens for wealthy Canadians trying to evade taxes. The Minister of Small Business and Tourism is now turning that statement into official government policy.

How can the minister justify going after small and medium-sized business owners to pay for the finance minister’s deficit?

Hon. Bardish Chagger (Minister of Small Business and Tourism, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, it is both an honour and a privilege to stand in the House. I would like to thank the good people of the riding of Waterloo for having me here to represent them.

As Minister of Small Business and Tourism, I am committed to representing small businesses across this nation. I will be working closely with the Minister of Finance to ensure that our commitment to lower the tax burden on small businesses is fulfilled. Not only will we be doing that but we will be working with small businesses because we know that they are job creators, they are the economic drivers of our nation. We will continue to work with them wholeheartedly. I look forward— [Note: Speaker ran out of time]

The following is a message from Alice Wong:

On July 1st, Canadians from coast to coast will commemorate the birth of our great nation as Canada celebrates its 148th birthday. With our rich history, vast natural and cultural heritage, strong values and sense of purpose, there is so much to be proud of. As Canadians, we are truly fortunate to call Canada home. I hope you celebrate with me by attending one of the many events that are happening in our community. Happy Canada Day.

The following is a transcript:

Gung Hay Fat Choy. Laureen and I would like to offer our warmest greetings to all Canadians celebrating the Chinese New Year. The arrival of the year of the sheep is a special time; a time of family, fellowship and the giving of gifts. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year and above all, a time to look forward with optimism, to peace, prosperity and success in the year to come.

I congratulate all Chinese Canadians on the remarkable role you have played and continue to play in our country’s heritage and development. Your abilities, energy and initiative have helped build Canada and whatever our roots, wherever we come from, Canada is a country we share and we can all be proud of. May you have a healthy, happy and prosperous year of the sheep.

The following is a transcript:

Hello, I’m Alice Wong, Member of Parliament for Richmond and Minister of State for Seniors. On behalf of myself and my husband Enoch, I wish you all a pleasant and joyful holiday season. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or any other religious event, may your festivities be an occasion for great happiness for you and your family. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The following is a transcript:

Canada’s veterans have served this country with distinction. On November the 11th, Canadians will join together in a day of Remembrance, when we will remember the ultimate sacrifices made by Canada’s brave men and women in uniform, in honour of the legacies they left behind. Their determination in the face of adversity will never be forgotten and we are forever in their debt. Lest we forget.