Last week’s federal budget commendably did away with a medical tax credit for cosmetic surgeries.
Healthy Canadians can no longer obtain the credit for elective procedures “purely aimed at enhancing one’s appearance” such as liposuction, Botox injections, teeth whitening and hair replacement. The government has now also started charging GST for those procedures.
It’s high time the credit is gone and GST is being charged on cosmetic procedures.
The fact the credit even existed in the first place is rather disturbing.
What was the idea behind it, to create a lovely-looking legion of good-looking Canadians?
If that was the goal, pumping more money into programs that promote fitness and health would be a far better way of spending such money.
Program spending — that’s another bothersome thing about the cosmetic surgery tax credit and the lack of GST for elective procedures.
What worthy programs and departments suffered a spending cut in the past because the government was giving away money for people to get Botox?
And what other surprising items are being subsidized by the government while quality programs do without?
