For Immediate Release:
June 1, 2010
Queens Park – “Why is Dalton McGuinty going down the road of Stephane Dion’s green shift greedy carbon tax?”
That was the question from Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett following positive reviews for a carbon tax from the Environment Minister.
“Yesterday, your environment minister said, “a carbon tax is something to look at,” – we all know what that means when a McGuinty Liberal says it,” reported Barrett to the Legislature. “The HST obviously hasn’t been implemented yet, and Dalton McGuinty is already salivating over a new carbon tax.”
The Minister’s answer did nothing to alleviate concerns that a carbon tax is on its way.
“Ontario seniors and families already pay a fuel tax. A month from now, Dalton McGuinty will make them pay HST on gasoline as well – and you’re looking at: a new health tax, a tap water tax, road tolls, and restricting seniors’ access to the public drug plan,” Barrett noted in a supplementary question. “How much more do the McGuinty Liberals think Ontario seniors and families can afford to pay?”
This time the Minister of Finance made no attempt to directly answer the tax question, avoiding the fact that – as Barrett pointed out – the one month countdown to the HST begins today.
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at
(519) 428-0446 or (905)-765-8413, 1-800-903-8629
Taxation
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
June 1, 2010
Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Acting Premier. The one-month countdown to the HST begins today. The HST obviously hasn’t been implemented yet and Dalton McGuinty is already salivating over a new carbon tax. Yesterday, your environment minister said: ” … a carbon tax is something to look at.” We all know what that means when a McGuinty Liberal says it.
Why is Dalton McGuinty going down the road of Stéphane Dion’s Green Shift greedy carbon tax?
Hon. Kathleen O. Wynne: To the Minister of the Environment.
Hon. John Gerretsen: First of all, we appreciate the report that the Environmental Commissioner has done. It’s always extremely important to hear from someone that takes an independent look at all the various actions that government is taking with respect to our climate change program, and certainly we thank him for that. We will be working with all of the recommendations that he has made in the report.
I should also remind you, though, that he said some very, very positive things about—if I can find it here, I will tell you. He said he supports “the government’s current initiatives,” including “involving a cap-and-trade system.” He also says that the report also contains “a key recommendation designed to ensure that Ontario”—and this is the crucial word—”continues to show leadership in the areas of GHG target setting.”
He feels we’re on the right way. We’ve still got a long way to go, and we look forward to working with that party, now that they’re interested in the environment, to make sure that we can reduce our greenhouse—
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Supplementary?
Mr. Toby Barrett: Ontario seniors and families already pay a fuel tax. A month from now, Dalton McGuinty will make them pay HST on gasoline as well, and we saw all of the Liberal caucus giving rousing ovations to Jeff Rubin when he proposed the carbon tax. The member from Toronto Centre is tweeting his support.
But the new tax grabs the Liberals are eyeballing don’t stop with your carbon tax. You’re also looking at a new health tax, a tap water tax, road tolls and restricting seniors’ access to the public drug plan.
How much more do the McGuinty Liberals think Ontario seniors and families can afford to pay?
Hon. John Gerretsen: Since it contained so many issues, I better refer this to the Minister of Finance.
Hon. Dwight Duncan: I told the House yesterday that these are tax matters. They’ll be dealt with in a budget.
But I think what we all want to know is why they voted against a personal tax cut for Ontario’s lowest-income seniors. Why, sir, did you vote against doubling the seniors’ property tax credit? Why did you vote against a policy that will make our corporate tax rates the most competitive in the country? Why did you vote against a policy that will lower the marginal effective tax—
Interjections.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): The members from Bruce, Halton and Oxford.
Interjection.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Double mention for Bruce.
Minister?
Hon. Dwight Duncan: I just say to the voters of Ontario that that question is nothing but a Tory story. Let’s focus on the policies before us. Let’s build a stronger economy and create jobs for our children and our grandchildren so that they will have the same quality of life that our parents left us with.