Canada's NDP

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May 4th, 2018

NDP Statement on KPMG Scandal Anniversary

NPD National Revenue Critic, Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke), made the following statement:

“This week marks the sad anniversary of government inaction when it comes to cracking down on large accounting firms and the wealthiest Canadians who avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Two years ago, we learned that the Canada Revenue Agency offered a secret amnesty deal to KPMG’s richest clients – allowing them to skirt legal action and financial penalties for their role in an offshore tax scheme designed to circumvent Canadian tax laws.

The Revenue Minister has been hiding behind legal procedures since then, and KPMG’s clients are still walking free. What’s worse, since the publication of the Finance Committee’s report on the affair, the Minister has only tinkered with Canada’s voluntary disclosure program. The time for tinkering is over – Canadians expect the Minister to act!

We all know that the real problem is that our tax laws are too lax. What will it take for the federal government to stop sweeping the problem of tax cheats under the rug and have the courage to address the real issue? How much more money will taxpayers lose? How many public services will remain underfunded before this government takes the modernisation of our tax laws seriously?

The Finance Committee is unanimous. The experts are unanimous. Canadians’ demand for reform has been growing louder and louder. It’s clear, we need complete tax law reform. Without it, accounting firms like KPMG, multinational corporations and the wealthiest Canadians will continue to find ways to avoid paying their fair share thanks to immoral, but legal, tax evasion schemes. This has to change.

The system should function for Canadians who work hard and contribute their fair share, not the wealthiest among us who try to avoid paying their dues like everyone else.”