Mr. Speaker, it is Small Business Week, and I want to tell you about my friend Marie. She and her husband, Doug, built an award-winning renovation company in Edmonton. Sadly, Doug was stricken with cancer and died five years ago. Marie, newly widowed and a single mom, took a big risk. She quit her full-time teaching job to run the reno company and keep it afloat. She wanted her employees to keep their jobs and feed their families.
The company flourished, but Marie is now terrified that the proposed Liberal changes to the small business tax could sink her company and kill 20 jobs. She wrote a letter to the Liberal finance minister and to her Edmonton Centre Liberal MP. Her letter reads in part, “I strongly urge you to reconsider the proposed tax changes. You need to help small business owners not hurt them. Reward those who work hard and take risks.”
The Liberals should listen to this woman. Canadian small businesses are the heart of our nation, and this week we honour them.