Mr. Speaker, my colleague gave a nuanced, thoughtful speech that raised some good points.
We in the NDP said that we wanted a permanent tax break on essential items, including heating and cellphone packages. Naturally, the Liberals presented a temporary half measure accompanied by a very haphazard list.
However, I have to disagree with my colleague when she says that this will help the rich more than the poor. I think that is a fundamental error, because the GST is a regressive tax, meaning that the proportional impact hurts the middle class and the poor more than the rich. When someone earns $200,000, a 5% tax on consumer products does not really affect them. If they earn $20,000, a 5% tax represents a considerable proportion of their available income.
Therefore, the measure helps the poor more than the rich because the GST is a regressive tax.