WOLFVILLE, NS- Liberal Finance critic Scott Brison made the following statement today on the Conservative government’s announcement on homecare:
“Today Jim Flaherty took the time to remind Canadians that the new Family Caregiver Tax Credit is non-refundable and will not be available to low-income families.
Because it is a non-refundable tax credit Canadians will only qualify if they have earned enough money that year to pay taxes. A person who is forced to leave their job in 2012 in order to care for an ailing family member may not qualify under this plan.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons, the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and other experts in the area of care giving have all called on the government to make this tax credit fully refundable, yet the Harper Conservatives continue to ignore this reasonable request.
During my recent pre-budget talk with Jim Flaherty I specifically asked that this credit be made refundable so that the efforts and sacrifices of all caregivers would be recognized by the credit.
While other countries seek to address income inequality, in Canada, the Conservatives are further entrenching it by excluding low-income Canadian families with this kind of boutique tax credit.”
