Trudeau Liberals' two-month GST holiday bill passes the House, off to the Senate
CTV
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays passed in the House of Commons late Thursday.
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays passed in the House of Commons late Thursday.
After a winding procedural process unfolded in the chamber over several hours, the Liberals' "Tax Break for All Canadians Act" cleared all stages of scrutiny in one swift move, with the backing of the NDP.
As declared earlier in the day, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his MPs voted against what he said "isn't a tax cut," but rather a "irresponsible, inflationist … temporary two-month tax trick."
"Now is the worst possible time to be blowing $6 billion trying to save Justin Trudeau's political skin," Poilievre told reporters on Thursday.
After expressing misgivings about the GST holiday as "a measure which is basically built on the idea that the Liberal government can try to buy votes," Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and his caucus also voted against the legislation.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May's two-person caucus supported the bill, but during Thursday night's debate, said it made her "feel queasy."
"It's not good policy. Whether it's good politics, we'll see," said May.
