Media Advisory - CFIB available to provide small business reaction to the 2014 Federal Budget‎

TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - Senior representatives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) will be in Ottawa tomorrow to provide small business reaction to the 2014 Federal Budget. CFIB President Dan Kelly and National French Spokesperson (and Senior Vice President for Quebec) Martine Hébert will be in the media lock-up and available immediately after the budget is tabled at 4 pm (EST). ‎ CFIB recently met with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and made the following recommendations on behalf of its 109,000 small and medium sized member businesses:

• Lower the small business tax rate from 11 to 9% over time - starting with a 0.5% decrease in 2014;
• Recognize the costs of on-the-job training by small business by retaining the EI Hiring Credit or converting it to an EI Training Credit; 
• Eliminate the deficit by bringing public sector wages and benefits in line with the private sector; and 
• Measures to address rapidly rising credit card processing fees for merchants and consumers‎.

"Small and medium-sized firms already employ the majority of Canadians, and with some supportive measures in tomorrow's budget, they will be able to do even more," said Kelly.

View CFIB's full list of budget recommendations at www.cfib.ca.

CFIB is Canada's largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 109,000 members across every sector and region.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Independent Business

To arrange an interview with Dan Kelly or Martine Hébert , please contact Gisele Lumsden at 647-808-5769 or by email at [email protected].