Justin Trudeau and the Sunny Ways Government - Who Really Represents Canadians?

With the Trudeau II government moving forward with its changes to Canada's tax code and the public backlash against changes to the private corporation tax regime that has been in place since 1972, it's time to see who backs the Liberal government's proposals.  Other than public pronouncements by various Liberal MPs who are playing a game with their constituents, the only way that we can really tell what Finance Minister Bill Morneau's Liberal peers really think of his proposals and the short, 75 day period of public consultation, is to look at the voting record on Vote Number 355 from Sitting Number 211 held on Tuesday, October 3, 2017.

Here is the opposition motion as proposed by Pierre Poilievre, MP for Carleton and one of Stephen Harper's former House of Commons pitfalls:  

"That, given the proposed changes to the taxation of private corporations as outlined in the Minister of Finance's paper “Tax Planning Using Private Corporations” will have a drastic negative impact on small and medium sized local businesses, the House call on the government to continue, until January 31, 2018, its consultations on these measures."

On the surface, this proposal seems quite reasonable, given the scope of the proposed changes to the tax code.

Here are the overall voting results:

Here are the voting results by party:

Note that only one Liberal voted for the opposition motion and that every other Liberal member voted against what would seem to be a reasonable request of a three and a half month delay.  The only brave Liberal MP who stood against his party's unreasonableness was Mr. Wayne Long, representing Saint John - Rothesay in New Brunswick.  I guess we now know what his chances are of getting a seat around the Cabinet table let alone getting Justin Trudeau's stamp of approval as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in the next federal election, don't we?  In fact, Mr. Long was removed from two committees; the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities and the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics although his photo still resides on the human resources committee's websites as shown here:

Despite protestations by Liberal MPs like this from the Chair of the Commons Finance Committee, Wayne Easter, representing the riding of Malpeque in PEI:

"The government really needs to step back from this a bit. Let's go to the end of the consultation period, October 2nd. Let's ensure that these consultations are meaningful.  Maybe do a couple of the simpler things that were proposed, like ensuring that there isn't sprinkling of income to take undue advantage of the tax system."

Fortunately for him, Mr. Easter just happened to be AWOL on the day that the vote was taken.

...and like this from Liberal MP Sean Casey representing the riding of Charlottetown in PEI:

"I will freely acknowledge that to the extent the net has been cast too broadly, or has been perceived as being cast too broadly, that we missed the mark."

...and like this from Liberal MP Andy Filmore representing the riding of Halifax in Nova Scotia:

"Any changes that happen have to be able to provide parity for those that are funding their own retirements with those Canadians that are lucky enough to have those things looked after for them."

...and like this from Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr respresenting the riding of Kelowna - Lake Country in British Columbia:

"In my opinion, based on a ton of discussion I've had with people in my riding, and other MPs, I think we need a mediated solution between what's being proposed and what can be done.  We need some sort of compromise.  Some folks don't think these proposed changes are the right way to do it, and they're quite boisterous about it. I'm definitely going to convey their opinions to the decision-makers."

...the ladies and gentlemen that we elected to represent us under the Sunny Ways government in Ottawa are little more than sheep, following the orders of their Liberal Party elders rather than actually paying heed to those who took the time to vote for them.  Why should we be surprised?

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.