Today during Question period, the Ontario Progressive Conservatives marched out in an organized protest over the ongoing dispute over the proposed Ontario HST. PC leader Tim Hudak claims the protest is in response to Premier Dalton McGuinty's refusal to hold public hearings on the governments plan to merge the 8 % provincial sales tax with the 5% federal goods and sevices tax. Hudak claims that Premier McGuinty's refusal to have open hearings as an attempt to avoid customers who will have to pay this increased tax hike. The PC's have been forced to revert to such tactics as a strong Liberal majority renders their opposition to legilsation a little more than hopeless in effecting any real change.The organized protest move has been criticized by both the Liberals and NDP who beleive that if its accountability the Tories want, then the best way to get it is through the legislature.
I personally have mixed feelings over the whole HST situation in Ontario. On one hand I personally believe that taxes should be low, allowing hard earned money to be put back into the pockets of Ontarians. That being said, the HST is highly touted as a smart economic decision, a move being endorsed by the Federal Conservatives who promise signifacant investment into the Ontario transition to the HST. I feel that the Ontario government should be doing more to educate Ontarians about what this tax shift is, how it will effect them and why it is a smart move. Rather than making periodic releases of tax exemptions, Ontarians deserve the facts about what we are tying to accomplish. As for the PC's, I beleive they are truely representing the wishes of Ontarians, given this tough economic climate, who legitimately oppose a tax increase. However, it will be interesting to see what they do if they should gain power in 2011, perhaps the HST wont be so villifed at that point in time? Certaintly something to pay attention to!
Source:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-storm-out-of-ontario-legislature-over-hst/article1374439/
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Too bad they are holding public hearings in both Tornto and as part of a "budget tour" throughout the rest of the province. If you check out my blog later tonight I am simplifying a peice from the Globe and Mail that debunks a lot of the claims that Hudak makes regarding the HST tax.
ReplyDeleteabout time..it only took about 5 requests and a stab at their public image
ReplyDeleteHudak is a disgrace to the current political system. Canadians already have a distrust of our elected representatives! By Hudak and his goons walking out of Queens Park he has shown Ontarians that their elected representatives are unwilling to work together...The Tories should suck it up and work with the Liberals to help implement the HST because it will happen and it will benefit all of Ontario!
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