Poilievre "costed platform" puts unexplained numbers beside empty slogans
Billions in new tax revenue from unexplained sources marked in to pay for tax cuts heavily flowing to wealthy and high income earners.
The Conservatives’ “costed platform” promises billions in tax cuts, most benefitting wealthier and higher income Canadians, paid for by billions in new tax revenue, much of it unexplained.
At least $60 billion in tax revenue increases goes completely unexplained, without detail or analysis to support of the numbers marked into the fiscal tables.
Data Shows last week provided a full analysis of the Conservatives’ tax cut proposals and how they compare to the other parties. Skipping to the conclusion, the greatest benefit by far goes to high income and high wealth Canadians.
Promises “rocket fuel” for economy — then shuts it off
The Conservative document boasts that their proposal to end taxation on capital gains made from selling Canadian assets will “be like rocket fuel for our economy.”
The tax cut is such a powerful economic boost the Conservatives have marked it in to generate additional net revenues — not a revenue loss — of $6.1 billion in 2025/26 and $6.6 billion in 2026/27.
Neither how the Conservatives arrived at $12.7 billion net revenue impact from a tax cut nor through what revenue streams the money would flow are explained.
But the oddest thing is, though this “rocket fuel” tax cut is claimed to be so powerful it will be a massive net revenue generator, the Conservatives propose to end it after just two years. That is really odd.
At least $60 billion in unexplained new tax revenues
The Conservatives have marked in billions in new tax revenues that go completely unexplained, including:
$12.7 billion in new revenue from cutting taxes on capital gains from Canadian assets, not explained and no detail provided
$13.1 billion from cutting the capital gain inclusion rate from 66 to 50 per cent, though how this tax cut results in a revenue gain is nowhere explained and the Conservatives do not show their work
$12.9 billion from closing tax haven loopholes, but no detail of what loopholes would be closed or how the number is arrived at
$6.4 billion from “cutting red tape,” but no discussion of which regulations would be cut and how that would result in more public revenue
$13.9 billion from home construction, though nowhere do they explain where the amount comes from or through what revenue stream it will flow.
Billion in unexplained cuts
And there are many cuts that aren’t clear and show no math back-up, including:
$9.6 billion cut from foreign aid to unnamed “hostile governments and global bureaucracies.” Canada last year provided $16 billion in international assistance to other countries, $5.5 billion of which went to Ukraine. There is no explanation which countries will get cut.
$11.2 billion cut from the “EV mandate.” Now, there is no cost to government from the EV mandate (which set targets for the EV market share), though there is a cost to the EV rebate, but Poilievre provides no explanation of where the number comes form.
Three word slogans with numbers added
Mark Carney’s costed platform, released Sunday, included $28 billion in unspecified program cuts and got rightly condemned for it. Now Poilievre’s campaign has stitched together a document that gathers all his three word slogans and puts numbers beside them.
Unfortunately, in many cases the numbers are as empty and bereft of meaning as his slogans. It is exactly this sort of approach to politics that has led a majority of people to conclude Pierre Poilievre is the wrong person to lead Canada
Gee, sounds like Elon Musk and Donald Trump.