House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 29% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, the government's wait-and-see approach is costly.
Does the minister have any idea how much the failure to charge tax or have Google or Facebook charge sales tax on advertisements is costing the public treasury? How much money is not being collected that could be collected if they were being treated on equal footing with our Canadian media?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, Facebook and Google do not have to collect sales tax on ads purchased on their platforms, unlike Canadian media companies, which have to charge sales tax for advertising purchased from them.
Again, why the preferential treatment for foreign companies over our Canadian industries?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, since the minister talked about international coordination, why did EU countries, such as France, Germany, and Italy, and other countries, such as Japan and the United States, go ahead and tax foreign digital services without waiting for international coordination?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, the answer is easy. The harmonized tax, which is Ontario's sales tax combined with the federal tax, is 13%. That is what CraveTV and illico customers get charged. Those companies offer the same services as Netflix. Netflix has a 13% competitive advantage over Canadian companies CraveTV and illico right out of the gate. Why give foreign companies that advantage?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, could the minister tell us how much sales tax CraveTV and illico, which are Canadian digital services, have to collect from their customers, which Netflix does not have to collect in Ontario?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, I can actually provide the answer. Out of the seven countries in the G7, there is only one that applies no sales tax whatsoever to foreign digital services, and that is Canada. Does the minister know how much sales tax European Union countries charge on foreign digital services like Netflix or Facebook?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, that does not answer my very simple question. There are seven countries in the G7. I would like the finance minister to tell me how many of those seven countries do not charge any sales tax on foreign digital services.
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, we are talking about sales tax, not income tax. I would like to ask the minister a very simple question. He mentioned the G7, and I would like to know how many G7 countries do not charge sales tax for foreign digital services, such as Netflix and Facebook.
How many of the seven G7 countries do not charge sales tax?
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, I am truly sorry, but I asked a question about the sales tax and his answer was about income tax. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance whether he knows the difference between a sales tax and income tax.
Business of Supply May 22nd, 2018
Mr. Chair, I would like to point out that Premier Horgan is actually respecting an election promise. I cannot say the same for this federal government, which actually promised to eliminate subsidies to the oil and gas industry.
On May 27, Quebec announced that it would impose the Quebec sales tax on intangible products and foreign digital service providers, including Netflix subscriptions.
When will Canada do the same?