More than $3.4B in new revenue belies Tory claim of lowering taxes: Liberals

OTTAWA – Many Canadians may be looking forward to new federal tax measures helping their finances, but newly released figures show the government’s own bottom line is getting a boost, thanks to a number of quiet tax and tariff changes.

Data introduced in the House of Commons this week shows the government will make an additional $3.4 billion in 2015-16 as a result of various tax changes it has implemented.

And those numbers don’t include what the government is making on recently increased user fees for services like passports and immigration.

Deputy Liberal leader Ralph Goodale received the figures after he asked the government for a breakdown last year.

He says the numbers run contrary to the Conservative government’s repeated narrative that they don’t raise taxes.

In its response, the Department of Finance says the overall federal tax burden to Canadians is at its lowest level in more than 50 years.