Women and Supporters March on Parliament Hill Against Liberal Tax Plan
For Immediate Release
Women and Supporters March on Parliament Hill Against Liberal Tax Plan
September 14, 2017 (Ottawa, ON) - Public concern grows over Finance Minister Bill Morneau's tax plan, a plan that is not gender-neutral, a plan unusual for a government that prides itself on gender parity. In fact, business-women from all walks of life -- farmers, bakers, shopkeepers, doctors, accountants and so on, will be deeply affected by these changes. The groundswell of opposition to the tax plan has inspired the Federation of Medical Women in Canada to call on all female entrepreneurs to march with them to Parliament Hill. This Saturday, September 16, at 3 pm, business-women, their friends, families and colleagues will march from the Ottawa Sheraton at 150 Albert St to the Hill.
Small business is the one area where women have pushed back against the glass ceiling. Modern business structures allow women to raise a family, fund maternity leaves, grow their businesses while recovering from childbirth, and save for their families' futures. From home daycares to local restaurants to family farms to small-town retail shops, women are successfully taking charge. For the first time ever, women even outnumber men among the youngest generation of family doctors. To see a tax plan that will have a disproportionate impact on business-women sets us all back.
Many ask about the butterfly effect from these new rules. Already, this tax plan has created widespread uncertainty. Businesses that have survived recessions and even the Great Depression now wonder if they will survive the next 5 years. Business owners worry about the impact on employees and the potential for lay-offs. Doctors worry about the loss of patient services at a time when waitlists are already too long. Family farms worry about passing down the business to the next generation. Tax lawyers worry that small businesses, unable to afford high-priced accounting firms, will end up closing or stuck in court battles over vague rules and definitions.
1 in 3 Canadian works for a small business. In fact, 90% of new jobs are created by small businesses in towns and cities all over Canada. Small businesses are the heart and soul of communities all over and are worth defending. March with us, stand with us, speak up with us against an unfair tax plan.
Contact: Ana Page, National Executive Director, FMWC 613-569-5881 OR 1-877-771-3777 OR
Margaret Shkimba, FMWC Communications, 289-776-5901
The Federation of Medical Women of Canada is a non-profit organization committed to empowering female physicians at all stages of their career.