Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister is calling for tax relief for Manitobans. He says Manitoba is lagging far behind the other Prairie Provinces when it comes to the amount a person can earn before the provincial income tax kicks in.

"The NDP Government here in Manitoba begins taxing Manitobans very early in their level of income. Approximately $8,600.00 and then your tax man comes knocking at your door. This level is about $6,000.00 sooner than the tax man in Saskatchewan($15,000.00) comes knocking, about $9,000.00 sooner than Alberta($17,000.00). What we're proposing is a significant increase be brought in immediately in the Basic Personal Exemption in Manitoba."

Pallister says, if the province were to raise the exemption by $2,000.00 to the same level as the Canadian average, every Manitoba worker would pocket another $200.00 per year. He adds, for some families, "This is the difference between having a child in piano lessons or signed up for hockey, things like that, that some families just simply can't afford to do now."

As for the cost of such a tax break to the provincial treasury, Pallister says it would amount to less than 1 per cent of government revenues. "It is close to about 6/10th's of 1 per cent of revenues that the NDP depends on to run all government services." But Pallister says the impacts would be significant for low and middle income families.

Furthermore he says, "As the cost of living continues to rise we need to find ways to put more money in Manitobans pockets.  By doing that we will in turn stimulate the economy."