It's Fair to Share - reducing taxes in Canada by sharing income

Canadian Finance Minister Hon James Flaherty has revealed that he is considering income splitting as a tax option.







Independent MP Garth Turner has graciously invited groups to assemble to discuss this tax proposal. We will have speakers sharing research and reflecting on its mplications.















Many of us feel that permitting the household based tax option would not only significantly reduce taxes for many but would also recognize the value of the unpaid caregiver role.















We invite all to attend. There is no admission fee and the conference has no political or religious affiliation.















Date: Tuesday 30 January 2007







Time: 10AM - 2PM







Location: Conference Room, West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa















We look forward to a fruitful discussion and are inviting all MPs, senators and the national press.















Please also feel free to sign our online petition and share your views







http://www.petitiononline.com/share/petition.html

Canada taxes its citizens as individuals only and does not currently permit declaration of shared income. Recognition of income spreading over more than one person is made only through some dependent deductions.



Many nations however permit taxation based on and admission of sharing income for those who do not feel that treating others in the home as lesser dependents is appropriate.



This website looks at the arguments for an against income splitting and welcomes all levels of government and all citizens to the conference in person or to comment and send papers to government or to us.

In many households one of the adults may prefer or be forced through illness or circumstance to have something other than full time paid work, in order to provide care of others who need care. This caregiving is usually not only unpaid but is done at a loss of income, yet its vital work nurtures the sick, handicapped, young, elderly or dying. It is however this care role that is being penalized by current tax policy.































































Households that have other than two equal full time incomes pay a tax penalty on income earning style, and this can be in some cases as high as 45% higher tax. We seek to correct that.































For many of us this is therefore a women's issue, about finally recognizing the care role as productive, useful to society not just to the household, and genuine 'work'. Income splitting is one way to give equality and dignity to those who do that role for a few years, whether male or female, though historically caregivers have been overwhelmingly women















































There are other mechanisms groups have sought over the years to value this care role. In October 2006 a group of 2.6 million pensioners was able to convince the current government to permit them to share pension income, marking a historic recognition of the care role of the past.















































However to date, nonpensioners are not permitted this fairness - to be taxed admitting they share income. We seek to correct that.































Some groups have asked for recognizing caregiving itself. This could be through a universalizing benefits for care receivers, so that money 'flows with' the person needing care. In that way the state would not preferentially fund 3rd party daycare or eldercare as it currently does, but would also fund and at much less overall expense, care in the home by family members.































Other groups are asking government to universalize maternity benefits and parental benefits, no longer basing them on paid labor history.















































The care movement is growing and for many income-splitting is seen as a key way to keep a promise to women and to children about valuing them in societ































Here are some of the groups that approached the Liberal government in October 2005 with 17 rallies across the country , culminating in one on Parliament Hill.































BRITISH COLUMBIA















KIDS FIRST PARENT ASSOCIATION OF CANADA







Burnaby Helen Ward







info@kidsfirstcanada.org www.kidsfirstcanada.org















Victoria







Tracy Zeisberger tzinvic@shaw.ca















ALBERTA















Edmonton







HOME BY CHOICE







Michelle Olson







homebychoice@shaw.ca 780-464-0433















Calgary







Beverley Smith, Calgary 403-283-2400







bevgsmith@alumni.ucalgary.ca















































MANITOBA















Winnipeg







S ara Yanke csyanke@shaw.ca















ONTARIO























Hamilton







Mark-Alan Whittle







http://theworldaccordingtomaw.blogspot.com



905-387-2489











Ottawa







S ara Landriault 613-258-4854 sara@landriault.com















Thunder Bay







Keri Maki 807-473-3822 makifamily@shaw.ca















QUEBEC















Montreal







CHILD CARE EQUITY







Yvonne Coupal







childcareequity@hotmail.com 450-966-6124















NOVA SCOTIA















Truro







Jennnifer Auld-Cameron























Fund the Child Coalition in addition to above - spring 2006







http://fundthechild.blogspot.com















Ontario Autism Coalition







Bruce McIntosh bruce.mcintosh@rogers.com















Special Needs Caregiver







Stacey Smith annastaciaballerina@yahoo.ca















Shift Work Advocates







Andrea Riley a.riley@gmail.com















Assoc of Daycare Operators







Kathy Graham kdaycare@kos.net















Cangrands







Betty Cornelius grandma@cangrands.com















Homeschoolers







Bilqees Quick bsaquick@yahoo.ca

These pension rights groups successfully approached government as a Common Front in October 2006 to get pension splitting. They number over 2.6 million members and spouses, from 22 organizations.







Air Canada Pionairs



Air Force Association of Canada



Alliance of Seniors Ontario



Allstream Retirees



ACER-CART, Canadian Association of Retired Teachers - Association canadienne des enseignantes et des enseignants retraites.



Armed Forces Pensioners'/Annuitants' Association of Canada Inc.



Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada



Canadian Activists for Pension Splitting/Regroupement des Canadiens pour le partage des pensions



CARP, Canadas Association for the Fifty Plus



CBC Pensioners National Association / Association nationale des retraités de la SRC



COMTECH, Communication and Technical Workers Credit Union



Bell Canada Pensioners Group BPG



FADOQ Mouvement des aînés du Québec



Federal Superannuates National Association FSNA



General Motors Salaried Retirees



Police Retirees of Ontario



Professional Institute of Public Servants- Retired Members Guild PIPSC RMC



REAL Women of Canada



Response A Thousand Voices RTV Nova Scotia



Retired Teachers of Ontario RTO



SenTax Seniors for Fair Taxation



The Royal Canadian Legion







Eleven organizations have major Quebec representation







Websites



http//www.pensionsplitting.ca



http//georogianbay.carp.ca



http//pensionsplitting.tripod.com

Those who wish to attend this conference are asked to contact
Sara Landriault at landriault@ripnet.com or
Beverley Smith at bevgsmith@alumni.ucalgary.ca

Though open to the public, Parliament Hill Security does require that we have an idea who will be there.

If you are unable to attend, we do still want to hear from you. Feel free to mail documents, letters and research to the address below or to attach it to one of the addresses above.