For Immediate Release:
March 25, 2010
Queens Park – As the McGuinty Government attempts to spin a $21.3 Billion deficit as a good thing, Haldimand Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett is highlighting the root cause of the record shortfall – government spending.
“The fact that government miscalculated by $3 billion is nothing to be congratulated for or be used to cover for the ongoing spending addiction that will be furthered in today’s budget.” Barrett stated. “Let’s get real here – This is by far the largest deficit in Ontario’s history and still greater than all of the other provinces’ deficits combined.
“The McGuinty government’s miscalculation confirms that fact that Ontario does not have a revenue problem – it has a spending problem.”
By 2011-12, the Ontario Ministry of Finance projects the province will be raising $100 billion in revenue. Revenue will have increased 46 per cent since the year Dalton McGuinty took office and yet expenses will still exceed revenue by nearly $20 billion. The Ontario Government is predicting seven more years of deficits.
“The impact of overspending equates to $13,000 worth of new debt for each Ontario family,” said Barrett. “Meantime, Ontario has lost 210,000 jobs during this recession.”
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at
(519) 428-0446 or (905)-765-8413, 1-800-903-8629