Canada rugby coach Kingsley Jones bullish about future of 21st-ranked Canadian men

OTTAWA – The Liberal government plans to temporarily lift the federal sales tax off a slew of items just in time for Christmas and send cheques to millions of Canadians this spring, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday.

“Our government can’t set prices at the checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” Trudeau said at a press conference in Toronto alongside Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. 

“The working Canadians rebate of $250 which will be sent to people in April, is going to give people that relief they need, and the tax break over the next two months is going to help on the costs of everything as we approach the holidays, as we get into the new year.”

The GST break would begin Dec. 14 and end Feb. 15. The Liberals say it will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine.

It also applies to Christmas trees — both natural and artificial — along with a variety of snack foods and beverages, and video game consoles.

Canadians who worked in 2023 and earned less than $150,000 would also receive a $250 cheque in the spring.

About 18.7 million people will receive the cheques, costing the government about $4.7 billion, while the GST break is expected to cost another $1.6 billion.

The measures come as an inflation-driven affordability crunch has left voters unhappy with the Trudeau government. 

High inflation has also put pressure on the Liberals to avoid introducing measures that would stimulate spending and fuel price growth.

However, the prime minister dismissed the idea that this move could raise inflation again, noting that price growth and interest rates are down.

“It allows us to make sure that we are putting money in people’s pockets in a way that is not going to stimulate inflation, but is going to help them make ends meet and continue our economic growth,” Trudeau said. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blasted the NDP and Liberals and called the tax break a “trick.”

“Today, what we have is a two-month temporary tax trick that will not make up for the permanent quadrupling of the carbon tax on heat, housing, food and fuel,” Poilievre said.

Poilievre was referring to the Liberal plan to continue increasing the carbon price annually until 2030.

The Conservatives have pledged to scrap the federal fuel charge, which is applied on the purchases of 21 different fuels. Proceeds from the federal consumer carbon price are returned to Canadians and small businesses through rebates.

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said the federal government took the rebate idea from his playbook. Last month, the province announced it was sending out $200 cheques to all Ontario taxpayers and their children as part of its own suite of measures designed to ease the effects of the affordability crisis.

“We came up with the $200 rebate, but you know what the federal government can do is scrap the carbon tax,” he said. “I mean, that is taking money out of people’s pockets.”

In order to get the measures passed through Parliament, the Liberals will need the support of an opposition party. The NDP appears poised to be a willing partner, taking credit for forcing the minority government to adopt its idea — although NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh insisted Thursday there was no negotiation between the parties.

Last week, the NDP promised it would issue a permanent GST break for essential items if it wins the next election, and late Wednesday Singh said in a statement that his party won a “tax holiday” for Canadians.

“The Prime Minister’s Office just informed us that he’s caving to our Tax-Free-Essentials campaign — partly,” Singh said in the statement.

Singh wanted to permanently remove the GST from essentials including diapers, prepared meals, cellphone and internet bills. That was expected to cost $5 billion, but he was also urging provincial governments to match the plan with cuts to provincial sales taxes.

The changes proposed by the Liberals will be part of the annual fall economic statement, which will need to pass through Parliament in order to take effect.

The House of Commons has been embroiled in a stalemate for nearly two months as the Conservatives filibuster a motion demanding the government release unredacted documents related to misspending at a green tech fund. 

That means no legislation has been debated or voted on for more than eight weeks, because matters of privilege take precedence over all other House business.

The NDP says it will not end the privilege debate. Instead, a spokesperson for the party says it will use a procedural measure to adjourn that debate for one day at a time to allow the tax measures to pass. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

The government on Thursday announced a sweeping promise to make groceries, children’s clothing, Christmas trees, restaurant meals and more free from GST/HST between Dec. 14 and Feb. 15. 

“Our government can’t set prices at checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” Trudeau said at a press conference announcing the measures.

The government says removing GST from these goods for a two-month period would save $100 for a family that spends $2,000 on those goods during that time. For those in provinces with HST, a family spending $2,000 would save $260. 

Thursday’s announcement also included a rebate for Canadians who worked in 2023 and made less than $150,000, totalling $250 per person. 

Here are the items that will be GST/HST-free if the Liberals’ legislation passes. 

Groceries

Many grocery items are already tax-free. The Canada Revenue Agency considers most food and beverages to be “basic” grocery items, such as produce, bread, cereal, canned and frozen food, eggs, coffee, milk, and meat. 

However, certain categories, like carbonated drinks, candies and snack foods, are taxed. 

The government’s tax break will apply to certain items that normally are subject to tax. 

These include prepared foods such as vegetable trays and pre-made meals, as well as snacks such as chips, candy and granola bars. 

Carbonated beverages, water bottles fruit juices and juice crystals are included, as are ice cream products and baked desserts like cakes and pies. 

The government says its tax break will mean “essentially all food” will be GST/HST-free. 

Alcohol

The tax break will also apply to alcoholic beverages below seven per cent alcohol by volume, including beer, wine, cider, and pre-mixed drinks. 

Normally, all alcoholic drinks are taxed. 

Restaurants

Restaurant meals will also be subject to the tax break. It will apply whether you’re dining in, taking food to go, or ordering delivery. 

Children’s items

Children’s clothing, including baby bibs, socks, hats and footwear, will qualify for the tax break. So will children’s diapers and car seats.

Children’s footwear and clothing used exclusively for sports or recreational activities will not be included in the tax break. This includes costumes.

Children’s toys will be included in the tax break as long as they’re designed for use by children under 14 years old. These could include board games, dolls, card games, Lego, Plasticine and teddy bears. 

Printed goods

Print newspapers will be included in the tax break, but electronic or digital publications will not. 

Most flyers, magazines, inserts and periodicals will be excluded.

Printed books will be included in the tax break, including religious scripture. Audio books where 90 per cent or more of the recording is a reading of a printed book are included. 

Printed items that aren’t subject to the tax break include magazines where advertisements take up more than five per cent of total printed space, sales catalogues and brochures, books designed for writing on, event programs, agendas and directories. 

Other

Christmas trees, natural or artificial, will be included in the tax break. 

Puzzles and video game consoles are also included. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

OTTAWA – Ottawa police say two people were arrested this morning after an “unlawful” demonstration outside Stornoway, the official residence the Opposition leader.

Greenpeace Canada says its activists blocked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s house and two of them locked themselves to a replica oil pumpjack placed in the driveway.

The non-profit has been critical of Poilievre’s climate change voting record and his advocacy for the oil and gas sector.

Ottawa police say in a statement that about 12 people gathered outside Stornoway shortly after 7 a.m., blocking access to the residence with a “structure” and “not allowing the family to pass.”

Police say two of the demonstrators refused to comply with “repeated” orders to remove themselves from the structure and were arrested. 

They say charges are pending against the two men who were due to appear in court today. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.