THUNDER BAY – Andrea Horwath continues in her efforts to tell only half the story when it comes to our tax reforms in Ontario.
She doesn’t tell people that the HST, accompanied by our package of significant tax reductions, will see low-income earners better off; middle-income earners about the same; and the higher-income earners paying slightly more. And when she talks about choices our government has made during these tough economic times, I would remind her about our decision to invest approximately $1.6 billion into $3.1 billion of Bombardier contracts – leading to hundreds of new jobs. These investments were both spoken against and voted against by NDP members.
She also doesn’t tell people that CARP, the Canadian Association for Retired Persons, supports our tax reform package, or that we have introduced further tax credits for seniors and Northerners, specifically.
At the Federal level, the Conservative, Liberal and Bloc Quebecois all supported the legislation required for the agreement on the HST to take effect. Provincially, while the Conservatives voice their opposition, very few people give credibility to their claim, knowing it is a policy they have supported for a very long time – leaving only the NDP in opposition. Apparently, they know something all the other parties do not.
Approximately 140 countries and 5 provinces have a single sales tax. Succeeding administrations do not change the policy when new governments are formed. It is why most major national newspapers have supported the HST as part of our tax reform package, and it is why groups like the Daily Food Bank, seniors organizations like CARP, Chambers of Commerce, and organizations representing low-income earners support these initiatives.
It is time Andrea Horwath began telling people the other half of the story.
Bill Mauro, MPP, Thunder Bay—Atikokan