Trudeau rejects idea of a single tax form for Quebec
Quebec government wants Ottawa to allow the federal and provincial tax systems to merge
The federal Liberals are throwing more cold water on the idea of amalgamating federal and Quebec provincial tax return forms.
Quebec is the only province where Canadians must file two separate tax returns and the Quebec government wants Ottawa to allow the two tax systems to merge — with Quebec administering the process.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has promised to make a single tax form for Quebecers one of his first priorities if he wins the next election and today the party has introduced a motion calling on Parliament to endorse the idea.
The Liberals say they will not support it.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it is the federal government's responsibility to collect federal taxes and Ottawa should not cede that responsibility to a province.
The Liberals also note amalgamating the tax forms would put Canada Revenue employees out of work and just yesterday announced plans to build a new tax centre to replace the existing CRA building in Shawinigan, Que.
Members of the National Assembly adopted a unanimous motion last year calling on the federal government to allow Quebec to administer a single tax system.
Quebec is the only province with an independent tax department. The province has also collected the GST in Quebec for the federal government since the early 1990s.