Next government must have vision and determination, says Certified General Accountants Association of Canada 

Canada’s next government will need vision and determination to successfully lead the country through a period of global economic turbulence and mounting domestic challenges, says the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada.

In an Open Letter to the leaders of Canada’s five major political parties, Anthony Ariganello, President and CEO of the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada), identifies five areas the association believes must be addressed.

The letter, detailing the policy recommendations in full, can be found on the association’s Federal Election 2008 site at cga.org/canada.

• Fiscal prudence: CGA-Canada supports balanced federal budgets, keeping program spending growth below economic growth and reducing the debt according to a multi-year debt-to-GDP ratio plan. It also believes that a $3-billion contingency fund should be part of the annual federal budget to help cushion Canada from unanticipated economic shocks.
• Competitive taxation: The next government should simplify Canadian tax law and the tax system. It should also keep business and personal taxes on a downward track so that Canada’s rates are internationally competitive.
• Improved inter-provincial trade: Barriers to the free movement of trade and services hurt all Canadians and cost Canada’s economy up to $14 billion annually. The next government must do more to establish an open, efficient and stable domestic market.
• Efficient and effective regulation: The new government must work to reduce the regulatory burden on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Skills and learning strategy: Working with the provinces and territories, the next government must develop and implement a comprehensive Canada-wide strategy to address skills shortages and training challenges.