NDP statement on the “Panama Papers” scandal

NDP National Revenue critic Pierre-Luc Dusseault (Sherbrooke) made the following statement:

“Operation ‘Panama Papers’ has exposed the shocking use of offshore tax havens. New Democrats have always fought against this kind of abuse that allows the wealthy to play by different rules than ordinary Canadians.

The fact that a prominent Canadian bank could be involved is very worrying. The Liberal government must investigate these allegations and show leadership in the fight against tax evasion. The Canada Revenue Agency must have sufficient resources to investigate and our laws must be tightened to catch and punish white collar criminals.

During the election campaign, the Liberals promised to crackdown on tax havens – but we’re still waiting. The Canadian government loses billions every year – billions that could be used to protect and expand social programs across the country.

If the government doesn’t take action, the wealthy and powerful will continue to benefit from our malleable tax laws. The Trudeau government must quickly introduce legislative amendments to eliminate loopholes and fight tax evasion. At a time when honest Canadians are filling out their tax returns, we have to get tough on tax cheats once and for all.”