Canada Looking To Make Green Fees Deductible

The WSJ's Paul Vieira reports that Canadians are trying to restore a tax deduction for golf green fees.

Peter Stoffer, a member of the left-leaning opposition New Democratic Party, agrees. He says golf is environmentally friendly; it's a game that's often used to help raise cash for charity; and it promotes a healthy lifestyle among Canada's youth. His district, near Halifax, is home to seven golf courses.

Behind the legislative assault is an industry that has long targeted the law. The last attempt to revoke the measure fizzled in 2008, when the global financial crisis threatened to sap Canada's finances. The effort to repeal the law seemed a low priority at the time.

Canada's economy has recovered better than most other industrial countries. While Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promised to slash expenses to balance the budget, he has also pushed through a number of big corporate tax cuts and a series of smaller tax-relief measures.

Those include breaks for parents whose kids enroll in sports and bigger tax deductions for long-haul truck drivers. The golf industry thinks the timing is right to be rid of the 1971 measure.