Mr. Speaker, Winston Churchill once said that:
...for a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
His words aptly explain why nations cannot raise taxes to punitive levels and be successful.
States or provinces with excessive tax levels have less dynamic economies, fewer dollars for social programs, and witness the departure of entrepreneurs, workers, and young families to other jurisdictions with lower taxes and more robust economies.
Yet, these real-world lessons are lost in New Brunswick.
Under the Liberal government, my home province has imposed the highest personal income tax rate in North America. Today, the combined rate on top income earners, like doctors and surgeons, is 54.75%.
The federal Liberals would make the situation even worse. If elected, they would hike the top tax rate on personal income to an eye-popping and heart-stopping 58.75%.
Unlike the Liberals, we understand that high taxes hurt growth, kill jobs, and cause economies to slow or even regress.
Our Conservative government will keep taxes low to keep Canada working.