OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) welcomed the appointment of Joe Oliver as federal finance minister, and called on the new minister to get to work immediately to deliver tax relief for Canadian families in the next federal budget.

“Joe Oliver can send a strong signal both to Canadian workers and their employers, by rolling back the job-killing EI payroll tax hikes we’ve since the 2008 financial meltdown,” said CTF Federal Director Gregory Thomas. “To keep the economy moving, Canadians need to bring home bigger paycheques. Employers need their payroll going into employees’ pockets and not to Ottawa.”

The CTF has fought for an end to deficit spending with a budget surplus expected for 2015, the savings not directed to tax cuts should be used to pay down the federal debt.

“Since the financial meltdown in 2008, the Harper government has added $160 billion to the federal debt,” said Thomas. “Joe Oliver needs to start paying that debt back right away, so our taxes go to pay for services for Canadians, not interest payments to bond holders overseas.”

The CTF is also calling on Oliver to dismantle the costly array of boutique tax credits, simplify the Income Tax Act, and deliver lower, simpler, flatter tax system with lower rates for everybody, and fewer brackets and loopholes.

“The Harper government has added hundreds of pages to the Income Tax Act with gimmicks and loopholes,” said Thomas. “Joe Oliver needs to take a page from Ralph Klein and a few hundred pages from the tax act, and cut taxes for all Canadians across the board.”