Federal Election 2019

Leaders’ survey: what will the parties do for you?

We sent a survey to all six major federal parties, asking them to outline their vision for small business in Canada. Here are the unedited answers from the parties that responded (the Liberal Party. the Conservative Party, the NDP, the People's Party and the Bloc Québecois). We will post the Green Party's responses if and when we receive them

Read their responses (PDF)

Small business is everyone’s business!

With the federal election fast approaching, parties are rolling out their policy proposals for the next four years – and we want to make sure they consider your business when they do.

Business owners across the country are urging Canada’s party leaders to adopt the recommendations in CFIB’s small business platform, including slowing or halting the planned CPP increases; offsetting the costs of training with lower EI rate for small businesses; and balancing the budget within five years.

Sign the letter to tell the party leaders: small business is everyone’s business!

To:

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
The Hon. Andrew Scheer, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
Mr. Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada
Ms. Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party
Mr. Maxime Bernier, Leader of the People’s Party of Canada
Mr. Yves-François Blanchet, Leader of the Bloc Québécois

Subject: Make small business a priority this election!

As a small business owner, I will be looking to you and your party to take the lead on implementing policies that will help my business succeed now and into the future.

While policy-makers in Ottawa focus on competitiveness, innovation and reaching global markets, they often forget to address the basic foundations needed to run a successful business. Political leaders need to focus on policies that ensure that I can afford to run my business and create jobs.

I ask you to support businesses like mine by making the following electoral pledges:

1. Help me reduce the costs of hiring and training by lowering the EI rate my business pays or introducing an EI holiday for youth between the ages of 15 to 24.
2. Address the growing tax burden by slowing down or halting additional CPP increases after 2019.
3. Repeal the federal carbon tax and instead work with each province to find a way to address climate change that minimizes any negative impacts on small businesses like mine (applicable in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick).
4. Make it as easy to sell a business to a family member as it is to a stranger.
5. Cut red tape in policies, guidelines and legislation, and improve government services.
6. Support family-run small businesses by exempting spouses from the new income splitting rules.
7. Put in place a plan to balance the budget within the next five years.

Thank you in advance for your engagement on issues important to my business.

Sincerely,

^{(All fields are required.)}

By submitting this form you agree to have your information sent to the above mentioned party leaders in the form of a petition. You also agree to be contacted by CFIB by phone/email about our work during the campaign, membership and other topics.

CFIB's election commitment

Since its founding in 1971, CFIB has been a strictly non-partisan organization. The Federation works with all parties and proposes ideas that support the growth of Canada’s small business sector. Armed with extensive survey data outlining the views of our 110,000 members, CFIB criticizes bad policy and commends good policy, regardless of the party from which it comes.

During the 2015 federal election, CFIB was pleased to note that the NDP, Conservative, Liberal and Green parties all committed to reducing the small business corporate tax rate to 9%. This measure was first proposed by the NDP and then legislated by the Conservative government of the day. After a winding road, this promise was met by the Liberal government.

Throughout the 2019 federal election campaign:

✗ We will NEVER endorse any political party or candidate.

✗ We will NEVER tell our members how to vote.

✓ We will voice the concerns and priorities of independent business owners.

✓ Based on our member surveys, we will put forward measures to help small business succeed and present them to all political parties.

✓ We will compliment small business-friendly policy ideas from any political party.

✓ We will criticize harmful small business policy ideas from any political party.

✓ We will survey party leaders on their commitments to small business and share their responses with our members.

✓ We will try to work cooperatively with any government Canadians choose and all opposition parties.

This is our election commitment.

For independent business to succeed, they need government to go back to basics by focusing on the fundamentals: affordability, financing and skilled labour. To this end, we developed a detailed Small Business Platform based on what our members have told us and have presented it to dozens of politicians in all parties.

Read the platform

Fighting for your business

We've held more than 20 meetings with Cabinet ministers, MPs and staff to present our Small Business Platform. Here are just a few of the meetings we've had.

Diane Lebouthillier
Wayne Easter
Lisa Raitt
Andrew Scheer
Gord Johns
Jagmeet Singh

Among others, we've met with Diane Lebouthillier, the Minister of National Revenue.

CFIB meets with Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier

We also met with Wayne Easter, MP for Malpeque.

Our meetings have included Lisa Raitt, the Deputy Leader of the Conservatives.

CFIB meets with deputy Conservative leader Lisa Raitt

We also met with Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.

We've met with several NDP MPs, including Gord Johns, critic for small business.

CFIB meets with NDP small business critic Gord Johns

We've also met with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and presented him with our signed letters from business owners.

In business for your business. Since 1971.

With over 110,000 members, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is the largest Canadian organization dedicated exclusively to your interests as an independent business owner.