Government and Opposition Members Defeat Changes to Disability Tax Credit
By Stephen Pate, Polio PEI, November 21, 2002 (from our archives)
In an unprecedented vote Wednesday in the House of Commons, government MPs supported an NDP Motion and defeated the government’s changes to the Disability Tax Credit.
The Liberal Government’s Department of Finance introduced draft legislation on August 30, 2002, intended to introduce restrictions in the ability of Canadian taxpayers with disabilities to obtain tax relief.
The Disability Tax Credit provides approximately $1,000 of tax savings to 400,000 severely disabled Canadians.
On Tuesday, November 19th, 2002, NDP leader Alexa McDonough introduced an opposition motion that was debated for most of that day.
All opposition parties were in favour of the Motion which stated:
“That this House call upon the government to develop a comprehensive program to level the playing field for Canadians with disabilities, by acting on the unanimous recommendations of the committee report “Getting It Right for Canadians: the Disability Tax Credit”; in particular the recommendations calling for changes to the eligibility requirements of the Disability Tax Credit so that they will incorporate in a more humane and compassionate manner the real life circumstances of persons with disabilities, and withdraw the proposed changes to the Disability Tax Credit, released on August 30th, 2002.”
Government backbench members and most of the Cabinet voted for the Motion in an unprecedented 234 to 0 vote, voting with their conscience and not their party affiliation.
The motion was championed by NDP MP Wendy Lill of Dartmouth, NS and Liberal MP Dr. Carolyn Bennett of St. Paul’s (Toronto) Ontario.
All four Prince Edward Island Liberal MP’s voted for the Motion.
The Disability Tax Credit allows Canadians with a severe and prolonged disability to achieve approximately $1,000 of tax relief, helping them to offset the many higher costs they face in trying to live their lives.
More than 400,000 Canadians qualify for the Disability Tax Credit.
It is estimated that Canada Customs and Revenue reduced the number of legitimate claimants by more than 50,000 in the past year by sending letters to claimants who were blind, or mentally disabled, or who otherwise could not understand the complexities of the request and form.
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency will now be forced to implement Court rulings of the past seven years that have called on the government to implement the Disability Tax Credit in a “humane and compassionate manner”.
For the Parliamentary Subcommittee’s full report see Getting it Right for Canadians: The Disability Tax Credit.
Polio PEI is a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing education and support to Islanders who have a disability due to Polio or Post Polio Syndrome. Polio PEI also seeks to improve the life of its members by performing advocacy to all levels of government.
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