By Greg Fry

Kamloops MP slams feds for wildfire response

Mar 28, 2018 | 11:40 AM

OTTAWA — Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Conservative MP Cathy McLeod says the federal government is failing to stand up for residents affected by last summer’s devastating wildfires.

During question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa this week, McLeod pointed out people in her riding who had to salvage trees on their land during the ongoing recovery process have been in for a shock this tax season.

“It’s tax time and now all of the sudden they’re losing their OAS (Old Age Security) and their guaranteed income supplement because of capital gains on salvaged wood. Of course, they’re having to clean up their lands and do many more things.”

The Liberals are failing #BCwildfire victims. Landowners are getting hit with capital gains tax after salvaging what was left of the trees on their property.

Only the Finance Minister can fix this issue, but all we heard yesterday were Talking Points from the Revenue Minister. pic.twitter.com/Yr5XzYDfsx

— Cathy McLeod MP (@Cathy_McLeod) March 28, 2018

She says she was very “disappointed” when she rose in the House asking to see if the finance minister planned to help out only to have the revenue minister answer for him.

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“The revenue minister stood up with talking points when she knows it’s not going to fix anything. So, certainly I was very disturbed. They promised to be helpful but they’ve been anything but.”

McLeod says there’s a really simple fix.

“I think Revenue Canada can get instructions from Finance that if there is a state of emergency they can look at a different treatment for capital gains on wood that needs to be salvaged because of an emergency situation.”

McLeod says she doesn’t have exact numbers on the number of her constituents affected by the issue, noting she’ll have a better sense once the recovery work is complete.

“But I do know we’ve had a number that have contacted my office devastated at tax time that they’re losing their regular secure income stream because of the capital gains issue.”

McLeod isn’t the first MP in the region to criticize the federal government for its wildfire response. Cariboo-Prince George Conservative MP Todd Doherty said the federal government was “failing” residents with its response.