The Kootenay-Columbia candidate for the Conservative Party is touting a plan to make maternity benefits tax-free as part of teh party’s platform for the upcoming federal election.
The Conservatives have pledged to remove federal income tax from employment insurance maternity and paternity benefits through a non-refundable tax credit of 15 per cent for income earned under both benefit programs.
“The benefit to a Canadian with a salary of $50,000 would be approximately $4,000. said Rob Morrison, who is running under the Tory banner in Kootenay-Columbia. “Parents should be able to enjoy the first months with their newborn and not worry about their bank account or the bottom line.”
All Canadian families will be eligible for the new tax credit, according to a media release.
Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer made the announcement in Toronto last week.
“Having a child is an exciting milestone in any person’s life, but it comes with added costs and pressures,” said Scheer, in a media release announcing the plan. “Today, young parents are under pressure and worried about their future. They are looking for help and Justin Trudeau has proven that he cannot be trusted to deliver it.”