Finance committee  Thank you for your presentation. We'll now hear the opening statement from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, please.

Finance committee  You really don't have any skin in the game, I don't think, as some might argue the Canadian Federation of Independent Business or some of the labour unions do. It's clear to everybody who reads the Income Tax Act that the two major groups that really benefit most directly from special tax breaks within the act are registered charities and labour unions.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  We just celebrated Small Business Week in Canada and I will highlight what our government is doing to help small businesses. A 2010 report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business suggested that red tape at all levels of government costs business about $30.5 billion extra every year. This burden is felt disproportionately by small business owners.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  I know that she cares so much about her constituents, as I always see her working hard and sending notes and getting ready for events. One of the strongest recommendations made by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business year after year is that our government move back toward balanced budgets and reduce the deficit. I am wondering if my colleague would speak about the importance of the economic action plan to move toward balanced budgets and decrease and get rid of the deficit.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  The larger reason for me to be so proud to represent that constituency, the constituency that is home, that is where I was born and grew up, is that the people who live in the Peace country are dedicated to growing a local economy and building a stronger future, not only for our community but for the country in general. A couple of weeks ago, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business announced that Grande Prairie, which is the largest urban centre in the riding I represent and the largest city in the Peace country, was recognized as the most entrepreneurial city.

Sault Ste. Marie  I am pleased to speak today about a recent survey published in The Financial Post entitled, “Communities in Boom: Canada's Top Entrepreneurial Cities”. The survey was conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and it ranked my riding of Sault Ste. Marie second in Ontario and 23rd in the country. The survey, based on entrepreneurial rankings, studied things such as business-hiring growth, overall state of business, industry diversity and life satisfaction.

Finance committee  For our second panel this afternoon, I would like to welcome four individuals. First of all, representing the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Ms. Corinne Pohlmann, welcome to the committee. We also have a second organization, the Canadian Labour Congress, with Ms. Angella MacEwen. Welcome to the committee.

Finance committee  I'll start off with you, Ms. Pohlmann. Roughly how many members make up the Canadian Federation of Independent Business?

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  Our government also released a code of conduct for the credit and debit card industry of Canada to protect small businesses. This was heralded by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, who I quote as saying: Merchants have new powers under the Code that have helped them achieve tangible results in their dealings with the industry.... This simply wouldn't have happened without the code.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  This would reduce payroll costs by $205 million and allow small and medium-size enterprises to continue to hire more folks and to keep their costs in check so they can continue to drive our economy forward. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said of the credit: It is a popular measure among all SMEs but is particularly important among growing firms as it helps them strengthen business performance. I met with some constituents who had concerns about pipelines in my riding.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  I am proud that our government introduced it and is now moving to extend it. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which represents small businesses across our country, including Kitchener, has praised the hiring credit for small businesses. The CFIB has told us that the credit “makes it easier for them to continue to support Canada's economic recovery by creating jobs”.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  I am pleased to tell Parliament and all Canadians how well the credit has been received by Canadian small business owners. For example, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, representing over 100,000 Canadian entrepreneurs, explains exactly how the hiring credit helps their members: The Hiring Credit for Small Business...is a popular measure among all SMEs but is particularly important among growing firms as it helps them strengthen business performance.

Income Tax Act  I would like to take a moment to share some of that feedback with the House. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business stated: —we feel that requiring unions to publically disclose how they spend those dollars will bring some measure of transparency to their operations, especially in light of on-going news that unions are using those funds to back certain political parties and candidates throughout Canada.

Financial Institutions  We are committed to making this code flexible and responsive to the needs of small businesses. Let me read a quote from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as it applauds this move. It states, “Going forward this is going to be a huge change. The saving for businesses is going to be massive”. However, shamefully, the New Democrats voted against the code.

The Budget  At home, we have concerns about the high level of household debt, and we have a significant challenge in the labour market. In fact, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business points out that one-third of its members say that a shortage of skilled labour is constraining growth. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has identified the skills shortage as the number one obstacle to the success of its members.