Our members are vociferously opposed to the proposed tax changes. We have had extensive consultation. We had a round table with Minister Hehr. I would support the comment made by Mr. Forgeron in the public address just before the witnesses' statements.
It's a rather blunt instrument for, perhaps, a targeted problem. Our concern is that it would remove the incentive for hard-working Canadians to take risks, to build companies, to create jobs. It feels like a solution looking for a problem that doesn't really exist.
We submitted a letter to Minister Morneau, by the consultation deadline, in which we encouraged them to reconsider this proposal, at the very least to extend the consultation in a more meaningful approach. It was a very short consultation period. It was a very difficult one to coordinate through the summer months.
We feel that, at a time when we need to be encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, it creates a risk of completely derailing that. When you look at the broad-reaching effects, it affects the ability of families to take risks, to build businesses. It has very unintended consequences with respect to some of the industries we see affected, particularly farmers, one of the hardest-working groups of Canadian citizens.
In summary, I'm definitely opposed to it in its current structure. I would hope to see some more consultation with the business community going forward.