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18 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 26, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Candidates support small business in different ways By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF As the economy continues to dominate national headlines, business owners are looking to the various parties this election for tax breaks and other incentives. Several political parties have made promises to help the ailing manufacturing industry, but small business owners are reminding leaders not to forget about them. Diane Ablonczy, MP for Calgary-Nose Hill and secretary of state for small business and tourism under Industry Canada, came to Oakville last Friday to meet with local small business owners to talk about the government's track record and what the Conservatives are proposing for small businesses during this election. Conservative leader Stephen Harper unveiled the party's promises for small businesses during a recent press conference in New Brunswick. Among the guarantees are a 20 per cent reduction in the federal paperwork burden on small businesses, providing industry with details of the $75million venture capital fund that was provided for in the 2008 budget that will be administered by the Business Development Bank of Canada, and raising the threshold for the small business income tax rate to $500,000. Ablonczy did not announce any new Conservative promises to the handful of businesspeople who attended the event, electing to spend her time reiterating Harper's platform and listening to local business owners' concerns. "The number of small businesses in Canada is huge and 98 per cent of all businesses are small or medium-sized enter- The Regional Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO EXPROPRIATE LAND Expropriations Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.26. prises, so it is very clear that if government policy doesn't get it right for small business, then a huge engine of our economy is in peril," she said. Ablonczy said the Conservative government is working for small businesses. One initiative she said she was particularly proud of is an entrepreneurship training program that was in the works when the election was called. "There's a vision on the Canadian landscape and in other countries to teach entrepreneurship," she said. "One of the things I believe that the federal government can do to show leadership is put together a game plan that will help Canadians who are bright, dynamic and energetic people to gain those skills of entrepreneurship. We're working on that in the industry department. We have a memo to cabinet that we are working on that was to come forward this fall, but will be pushed back a little bit because of the election." Terence Young, Conservative candidate for Oakville, said he attended last week's meeting to show his support for both Ablonczy and the local small business sector. He said if Stephen Harper remains prime minister, the Conservatives will continue to work for small businesses. "We've lowered taxes and we didn't just lower income taxes, but we lowered business taxes and we will continue to keep business tax coming down," he said. "We also lowered the GST, which helps a lot of people." Young also spoke about initiatives for the Oakville Ford plant, which he said will benefit small businesses. "My goal is to have a hybrid car built here, which will be positive for the environment," he said. "It has two engines, so there will be lots of work, and it will also be positive for the local economy and all the people who make parts that they deliver to Ford." Other candidates in the Oakville riding also said that small businesses were a priority to them. Bonnie Brown, Liberal candidate and incumbent, said helping the faltering economy is a priority to her party. "Those (small businesses) that are related to manufacturing are hurting, but the general downturn in the economy certainly will affect all small businesses," she said. Brown said that small business owners will largely be assisted by tax cuts made possible by the Green Shift. She said the Liberals will reduce the lowest income tax bracket from 15 per cent to 13.5 per cent, as well as reduce the two middle income tax brackets from 22 to 21 per cent and 26 to 25 per cent respectively. The Liberals have also announced they will reduce the corporate tax rate by one per cent, which will end up at 14 per cent over a four-year term. They will also reduce the small business tax See Small page 26 · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · DANIEL HECHTER PARIS · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · ROHDE · MEPHISTO in the City of Burlington and to facilitate the reconstruction of Burloak Drive (Regional Road City of Burlington and Town of Oakville and works ancillary thereto. · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · DANIEL HECHTER PARIS · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · ROHDE · MEPHISTO Ingeborg shoes Step into Fall with · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · DANIEL HECHTER PARIS · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · ROHDE · MEPHISTO of the expropriating authority shall so notify the approving authority in writing notice; The approving authority is: The Council of The Regional Municipality of Halton 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 The expropriating authority is: The Regional Municipality of Halton 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 260908 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 INGEBORG'S WAREHOUSE 1681 FINFAR COURT, MISSISSAUGA Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 to 5 Sun. 11 to 4 905-823-7415