Lorne Feldman, the owner of Feldman Timber in Timmins, stands focused on ensuring the middle class has opportunities to contribute to the economy of the city.
"The strength of an economy is in the small and medium size businesses, it's the engine that drives the economy and one of the keys to success is to ensure that the middle class has good-paying jobs so they can support small and medium size businesses in Timmins. We want to make sure they are getting fair pay, an educated workforce, a healthy workforce, and as a business that has been around for 104 years, we really feel that these are paradigms to which the NDP adhere to." says Feldman.
This was an opportunity for Gilles Bisson to discuss the NDP platform on their idea of job creation and retention.
"We understand as New Democrats that people need a job and the way to get one is through the creators and that being small and medium size businesses."
Bisson says that it is important for these businesses to grow.
Bisson says that instead of having across-the-board tax cuts, that they help businesses that help create those jobs.
He also mentioned that the NDP want to drop the tax rate of 4% down to 3% to help the small business community.
The minimum wage has gone up and this tax break would help small and medium size businesses with that wage increase.
Bisson was very clear that the NDP felt that the minimum wage needed to go up and within two years, it will be at $12/hr.
This is the importance of the small business tax deduction, when people have disposable income, they spend it locally and that helps business.
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"People (business) feel challenged with the increase of the minimum wage but need to understand that minimum wage doesn't equate to minimum contribution. These are very important jobs for them, they have to take care of their families and the more disposable income they have means more potential customers for us. We look at that as this a positive aspect for the entire economy." says Feldman.
When asked about the NDP platform with a potential increase in corporate taxes, Feldman said he felt that it doesn't matter if he doesn't have customers coming in through his door.
"There is a price to pay for living in a civilized, good community. I'm more interested in customers having that disposable income to come in and with the totality of the circumstances I'm further ahead of the game."
