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Columnist Urges Ottawa to Repay $50 Million to New Brunswick Over HST ‘Holiday’

The appeal frames the 2024 tax break as an overreach into provincial sales tax, urging a meeting between Mark Carney and Premier Susan Holt.

Overview

  • Telegraph-Journal columnist Norbert Cunningham argues Ottawa owes New Brunswick $50 million stemming from the 2024 federal HST holiday.
  • He says the federal move effectively withheld the province’s PST share, which he asserts Ottawa had no authority to waive.
  • The piece notes Prime Minister Mark Carney recently said he was not familiar with the specifics and presses him to resolve the dispute with Premier Susan Holt.
  • It emphasizes that provinces retain jurisdiction over PST even under the harmonized HST system used in five provinces.
  • The $50 million figure and the claim of an outstanding obligation are presented as the columnist’s view, with no federal agreement or repayment confirmed.