Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present petition e-6753, which was signed by 7,175 Canadians who want the GST and HST removed from massage therapy services.
Registered massage therapy is recognized as a medical service by health care professionals, and registered massage therapists are licensed and regulated like other health professionals but still not exempt from GST and HST under the Excise Tax Act.
Failure to remove the GST creates double standards and inequity in the professions regulated by the colleges. It may also contribute to financial barriers for some patients.
These Canadians are calling on the Government of Canada to add registered massage therapy to the GST and HST exemption within the Excise Tax Act and remove the GST and HST from registered massage therapy services in Canada.