Mr. Speaker, the NDP would have done much more for small business.
We proposed to reduce taxes from 11% to 9% for small business. We were going to provide up to $4,500 for new hires, a one-year rebate on employer contributions to CPP and EI and retention bonuses of $1,000 in non-refundable tax credits, which would have created 200,000 jobs for Canadian families. Furthermore, we would have extended the accelerated capital cost allowance for eligible machinery and equipment for primary use in Canada, which would have had the effect of promoting productivity gains in our manufacturing sector.
We cannot support the bill simply because it does not go far enough. We have very credible propositions to give to the government, but they fall on deaf ears, unfortunately.