Mr. Speaker, Bill C-70, the new single harmonized tax system is designed to significantly simplify the sales tax rules for charities. The legislation includes measures to streamline the definition of charity to make the application of sales tax rules simpler. In speaking with several of the volunteer organizations and charities in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, those measures in Bill C-70 please them greatly.
The bill raises the existing small supplier thresholds applicable to taxable supplies and gross revenue, reducing the number of charities required to register for sales tax purposes. The measures the small charities in my riding see of benefit consolidate and simplify the rules governing the charities' taxable activities. These
measures within Bill C-70 are designed to assist charities. They are designed to ensure that volunteers can work productively within those charities without spending administrative time. These are benefits within Bill C-70. Another measure simplifies the requirements for filing returns and claiming rebates. Again we know the volunteer hours that are spent doing those two important tasks.
The overall effect of the changes are really what we should be focusing on; that is, simplifying the rules, reducing the workload that volunteers give of their time and effort. All of this would seem to be outside pure accounting and economic lines. Those are reasons that Bill C-70 needs to be supported.
It is also important to note in this debate that Bill C-70 speaks about efficiency, fairness and simplicity in the tax system. It calls on every one of us in this House on behalf of our constituents to ensure that we are providing them with the ways in which they are able to respond to bureaucracy, government measures, revenue issues and taxation. We are providing them with those measures.
It is important that this is supported. All members on all sides of the House must realize the discussion is one that speaks to a harmonized system that would benefit our entire country. They too have spoken about a difficulty with the old GST, the difficulty in the system, the labour intensity in the system and the fact that it is a tax that stands in the way of businesses doing what they should do and could do for all Canadians.
I call on all members on all sides of the House to recognize that this debate is about harmonization. This debate is about a single harmonized tax system. This debate is about simplicity, fairness and an economically efficient tax system. I call on all members to focus on the debate and support the bill.