With Print 17 in the rear view mirror, I’d like to personally congratulate show organizer NPES and all the exhibitors, visitors and OEMs who helped make this annual event so successful once again. Special accolades go to some of the most impressive booths whose technology created such a buzz – namely Fujifilm, Canon, Xerox, EFI, KBR/RMGT/Ryobi, Konica Minolta/MGI and KBA, who celebrated its 200th anniversary this year. This issue has a photo wrap-up on page 20. Next on our calendar is the 2017 SGIA Expo 2017 in New Orleans, October 10 – 12. We hope to see you there.
More on “Make Canada poor again?”
Last month I mentioned that I was stunned to hear of proposed tax changes from the federal Liberals introduced July 18. These changes would, if implemented this fall, cost small business owners like myself thousands of dollars each year. Not surprisingly, the decision has ignited a firestorm of protest – not just from Conservatives (who intend to make this an election issue) but actually from Liberal backbenchers as well! It was also interesting to see their reaction during the debate on the issue. They weren’t exactly jumping for joy.
But the backlash is not just from small business owners. Professionals such as journalists, doctors, lawyers, farmers, accountants and others are already speaking out. In his July 30 column, even Sun Media columnist Jim Warren, a long-time Liberal strategist, described Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s proposals as grossly unfair and a danger to the entrepreneurial spirit that creates thousands of jobs across this country every year. Look, I’m not really a political person. But I must say that Morneau and Trudeau are being selectively blind on this issue, even to the dismay of many in their own party.
A friend who works for one of the top five accounting firms in Canada, recently spent close to 200 hours going through the Liberal tax proposal – line by line! He then sent his written suggestions to Morneau. The gist of the reply was simply that the feds were going to proceed, regardless. I assume Morneau doesn’t understand that penalizing small business owners for their success is NOT the way to build a strong middle class, which was their core goal when elected. Oh well, so much for political promises! I guess when you have a majority (for now, anyway) you can do whatever you like. We’ll see what happens. In the meantime…..
Stay positive and stay focused.
View from the publisher – October 2017
