Moody: Liberals have made our tax system complex and inefficient

Article content material

Arnold Sherman, one among Canada’s first worldwide tax practitioners beginning within the Nineteen Fifties, constructed probably the most spectacular taxation libraries in Canada, a group I used to be lucky to inherit upon his retirement only some years in the past.

Article content material

Article content material

This previous weekend, as I usually do and with a pleasant glass of wine, I pulled one of many books off a shelf from Sherman’s library: “A Historical past of Taxation and Expenditure within the Western World” by Carolyn Webber and Aaron Wildavsky. It accommodates a formidable historic account of taxation, budgeting and finance from historic occasions as much as 1986, the yr it was printed.

Article content material

“Archaeological proof from Mesopotamia reveals that the earliest obligatory taxes have been tithes, levies assessed on a set proportion of the overall crop, primarily based on some official’s estimate of what a person had harvested,” the authors say.

“A person who took items to the temple gave solely what he might spare; however when the king demanded common funds of a specified quantity, a reluctant topic’s compliance might be achieved solely by coercion. Thus a obligatory tax coverage demanded multiplication of officers to evaluate and gather the crop.”

Not a lot has modified because the historic occasions, eh? At this time, tax programs in most international locations stay reluctantly paid and are enforced by a large number of officers.

In Canada, obligatory taxes have exploded in each amount and complexity beneath the present Liberal authorities. As well as, the number of officials on the Canada Revenue Agency has grown to 59,155 in 2024 from 40,059 in 2015 — a staggering 47.7 per cent.

Is it potential for a rustic to eradicate the reluctance of its residents to pay tax? No, as a result of there will probably be a common stage of reluctance any time belongings are taken from a citizen and paid to the state.

Article content material

Article content material

The e-book additionally offered a quote from the thinker Edmund Bruce: “To tax and to please, not more than to like and be clever, will not be given to males.”

This properly captures that taxation, like love and knowledge, is inherently troublesome to stability in a means that satisfies everybody. Simply as human nature makes it practically not possible to be each deeply in love and completely rational on the identical time, it’s equally not possible to impose taxes whereas preserving everybody comfortable.

However such impossibility, it’s at all times value a shot for a rustic corresponding to Canada to attempt to stability the need to offer required public companies whereas respecting taxpayers’ hard-earned {dollars}.

For me, respect begins with managed authorities spending. It then extends to a tax system that’s approachable and comprehensible, is environment friendly in its administration, encourages and rewards arduous work and risk-taking, and is aggressive with different international locations.

A poor tax system is simply the alternative: advanced past comprehension, bloated with too many officers and it punishes arduous staff and risk-takers. Canada’s tax system suits that description.

Article content material

Canada’s taxation system has additionally turn out to be an enormous earnings and wealth redistribution scheme that’s designed to realize political targets (get voters hooked on cheques) moderately than obtain good public coverage.

Canadians celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of the introduction of Canada’s first official flag on Feb. 15, however many overlook the introduction of the flag was fairly controversial. I don’t keep in mind that since I used to be not but born.

Nevertheless, one of many information from my dad and mom’ assortment that my siblings and I used to usually play whereas rising up contained a catchy tune, Rally Across the New Flag, by the Brothers-In-Legislation. The lyrics captured the flag controversy on the time, together with this line within the refrain, “Rally across the new flag. It’s greater than a mere piece of rag.”

Coincidentally, that tune was launched in 1965, one yr earlier than the discharge of the Report of the Royal Commission on Taxation in 1966, which was the primary and solely time in our nation’s historical past that we’ve got had complete taxation assessment.

That’s precisely what we want with respect to our tax system in the present day. We have to rally round tax reform; it’s greater than a conceptual rag and lengthy overdue. Like our nation’s flag, it received’t be with out controversy, however, once more, it’s an vital subsequent step.

Article content material

To take action, Canada will want daring political leaders who’re keen to tackle an entrenched system and revamp it. And by revamp, I don’t imply tinkering right here and there or scrapping one tax for an additional new, shiny or hidden tax; I imply daring and vital adjustments that try and swing the pendulum again to stability and encourage much less taxpayer reluctance.

Pierre Poilievre has dedicated to reviewing and overhauling Canada’s tax system, recognizing the necessity for simplification and equity. However what about Mark Carney? As an skilled economist and a key determine in Liberal circles, will he assist significant reform, or will he proceed down the trail of ever-expanding authorities spending and redistribution?

The query isn’t nearly political ideology; it’s about the way forward for Canada’s financial progress and monetary sustainability.

Like the teachings present in Sherman’s previous taxation library, historical past reminds us that taxation, like governance itself, is at all times a balancing act, one which Canada has overpassed.

Article content material

The rising complexity, inefficiency and sheer weight of our tax system have made it extra about wealth redistribution than financial progress. As we mirror on 60 years of our nationwide flag, it’s time to rally not simply round a logo, however round a tax system that fosters progress, rewards arduous work and respects taxpayers’ contributions.

Tax reform, as proposed by the Conservative Social gathering, could be a really optimistic step in that route.

Kim Moody, FCPA, FCA, TEP, is the founding father of Moodys Tax/Moodys Non-public Consumer, a former chair of the Canadian Tax Basis, former chair of the Society of Property Practitioners (Canada) and has held many different management positions within the Canadian tax neighborhood. He could be reached at kgcm@kimgcmoody.com and his LinkedIn profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimgcmoody. 

_____________________________________________________________

For those who like this story, join the FP Investor E-newsletter.

_____________________________________________________________

Bookmark our web site and assist our journalism: Don’t miss the enterprise information you must know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and join our newsletters here.

Article content material