Ottawa- Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops – Thompson – Cariboo, hand delivered the following letter to the Minister of Finance on Jan. 29, in Parliament. Her letter is as follows:
Dear Minister Morneau:
As you aware my riding of Kamloops –Thompson – Cariboo just experience one of the worst wildfire seasons in British Columbia’s recorded history. The response from the Federal Government was very reassuring at the time. With the Honourable Ralph Goodale stating that “the Government of Canada stands with British Columbians every step of the way. A special cabinet committee is ensuring fully coordinated support across all federal departments.”
Since that reassurance some severe consequences have transpired due to the emergency situation. In the Cariboo I have non-commercial woodlot owners who are requesting that they shouldn’t have to pay capital gains on salvaged lumber because of the state of emergency. They are being unduly penalized, when clearly there was no gain in being forced to remove burnt wood. These individuals are struggling to find affordable and practical ways to reclaim their land. It is not safe for livestock to return, and seeding and replanting will be a long term project.
I would respectfully ask you to consider a policy change in the case of natural disasters where a state of emergency has been declared that capital gains should be offset for the remediation of property.
I look forward to discussing this issue with you in the week to come.
“After speaking with the team for the Revenue Minister it became abundantly clear that they aren’t willing to make any decision without a policy change from the Finance Minister. Today I hand delivered the above letter to the Minister of Finance and I will now push for a change in policy so that the capital gains issue can be solved once and for all,” concluded McLeod.
