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EDMONTON — Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is coming under fire from the group representing small businesses in the country for saying the wealthiest Canadians were using small business tax rates to reduce their own tax bills.

Trudeau, however, isn’t backing down from the comments that have angered and perplexed many small business owners who, just this week were told the Liberals backed a plan to reduce their tax rate — an issue that could sway how they vote in this election.

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“As the largest small business group in Canada, we see no evidence that the small business rate is being used by so-called wealthier Canadians to save on their taxes,” said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

The federal parties have courted the small business vote, promising to reduce their tax rate to nine per cent from 11 per cent. Small business groups have long advocated for the move after watching the federal Conservatives cut corporate tax rates over the past 10 years.