OTTAWA, (Jan. 6, 2005) — The Canadian Trucking Alliance is applauding a report of the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance which seems to advance a number of issues raised by the CTA in pre-budget submissions.

While the CTA was disappointed the report didn’t address the trucking group’s suggestions for improving driver meal deductibility — nor did it mention the role of the tax system could play in promoting the accelerated penetration of newer, cleaner truck engines into the marketplace — overall, the CTA says its satisfied that most of its concerns are highlighted.

The CTA says the report, which is developed in preparation for the 2005 federal budget and includes a minority report from each party, addresses the importance of:

Ensuring that Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) rates do not place Canadian businesses at a comparative disadvantage with US competitors; A properly funded, long-term infrastructure plan involving all levels of government; Streamlining the regulatory process, consistent with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Smart Regulation; and ensuring that Canada’s corporate tax system is competitive with that of the US and other countries.

“CTA understands that the Finance Committee, particularly during a minority Parliament, has a difficult balancing act dealing with all of the competing agendas and points of view,” Alliance CEO David Bradley said in a press release. “The committee did acknowledge a major concern of CTA and others in the business community — that our tax system and infrastructure must not be allowed to put Canada at a competitive disadvantage.”

The government now must accept or reject the recommendations of the Finance committee. The full report can be accessed from Parliament’s web site at http://www.parl.gc.ca/committee/CommitteePublication.aspx?SourceId=96733.

A copy of CTA’s recommendations to the committee can be found on the CTA web site at www.cantruck.com/images/pdf/041101CTAPrebudget2005.pdf.