64% Of Canadians Support Tax Cuts, Says Survey

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

20 November 2001

According to a new survey conducted by Leger Marketing, 57% of Canadian taxpayers believe that the country is in a recession, and 64% believe that tax cuts, as opposed to increased spending, are the cure for the ongoing economic malaise.

'Politicians promised that kind of tax cut, federally and provincially, and people will expect it,' explained Jean-Marc Leger, president of Leger Marketing. 'They want to see the benefit from the effort they've made in the last few years.'

However, despite strong public support for tax cuts, the survey, conducted between November 6 and 11 found that 59% of respondents would be willing to sacrifice long awaited tax cuts for increased spending on safety and security in Canada.

Reactions to the poll, which comes only weeks before Paul Martin's federal budget, have been mixed. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation professed itself delighted that the majority of Canadians support its calls for tax relief in order to stimulate the economy. 'Government spending in a downturn is like eating a candy bar just before a marathon. It would provide an immediate sugar rush but it doesn't give you the long term energy to finish the race,' observed Walter Robinson, the Federation's director.

However, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is critical of the poll results. The left wing think tank has objected to the way in which the questions were phrased, arguing that if those polled had been asked whether they would support additional spending in specific areas, such as health or the environment, responses would have been dramatically different.

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