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Third, stop campaigning against the rich, period. Yes, lots of high-priced professionals have used the current tax rules to keep more of their money, and yes, some earn enviable incomes. But “rich” should not be a four-letter word in a free economy; implying that successful entrepreneurs are enemies of the people is playing the same low, populist, identity-politics game we frown on other countries’ leaders for doing.

Fourth, stop the drivel about these particular reforms being aimed at tax “fairness.” In Canada, there are more special-interest tax benefits and boutique credits than you can shake a calculator at, each aimed at a different slice of voters, er, income earners. One small example, in the Liberals’ 2016 budget: an educational tax credit for teachers who buy classroom supplies.

Sell your ambitious tax changes on their actual merits, rather than playing divide-and conquer among subsets of Canadians. And to the opposition, don’t you fan class-warfare flames either. We’ve seen, south of our border, what pitting groups of people against each other can do.

Well then, what are the reasons a government might legitimately want to mop up the tax structure for corporations? Some economists argue that government has, for too long, played the role of risk mitigator, buffering small businesses from economic reality. Maybe this should stop. As McGill University economist William Watson argues, those inclined to take more risks in business also hope to reap more rewards. Why should government hold their hands with special tax breaks while they do so?