Archive for July, 2010
Friday, July 16th, 2010
News:
Ontario PC Leader, Tim Hudak, today called on Dalton McGuinty to take responsibility for his government’s decision to outsource their eco-tax collection scheme, to a supposedly arm’s-length agency, that is run by a 20-year Ontario Liberal Party hack. Hudak also repeated his commitment that a PC Government will scrap the McGuinty Liberal eco-tax.
Stewardship Ontario CEO, Gemma Zecchini, has partisan Liberal ties that date back to the 1980’s when she worked alongside now-Liberal Campaign Director, Don Guy, in David Peterson’s Premier’s Office. To date, the McGuinty Government has made no attempt to inform the public about these partisan ties and have deliberately tried to shield Zecchini and Stewardship Ontario from public accountability by excluding them from Ontario’s Freedom of Information Laws.
To date, both Stewardship Ontario and the McGuinty Government have refused to provide any information on how much Zecchini and other Stewardship Ontario executives make, or how they are spending the millions of taxpayer dollars, they are collecting in eco-taxes. This wall-of-silence approach to damage control is similar to the strategy McGuinty Liberals used to deflect public anger, in the early days of their eHealth scandal.
Quotes:
“Stewardship Ontario is a Liberal Agency, run by a Liberal partisan, collecting eco-taxes on behalf of a Liberal Government. After eHealth and OLG, Ontario families will not buy another round of excuses, apologies and scapegoats from Dalton McGuinty. He must take responsibility for this eco-tax rip-off without delay.
– Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
“The similarities between Stewardship Ontario and eHealth are striking. Instead of learning any lessons from eHealth, Dalton McGuinty is apparently prepared to let the ’summer of scandal repeat itself.”
– Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
Quick Facts:
A comparison between eHealth and Stewardship Ontario:
eHealth
Run by Liberal friends and insiders
Unaccountable to the public
Funneled millions of taxpayer dollars
$1 billion in waste
Stewardship Ontario
Run Liberal friends and insiders
Unaccountable to the public
Funneled millions of taxpayer dollars
Total amount of waste yet to be determined
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
News:
After Dalton McGuinty failed to sneak in a new eco-tax on Canada Day, eco-tax chaos is reigning at cash-registers across the province, with consumers forced to pay more for over 9,000 products they use every day.
Things are so bad that even Liberal MPPs are running for cover from their latest tax-grab. This includes Environment Minister John Gerretsen who is musing about ways to make the tax more transparent in a desperate attempt to duck responsibility for how it has been implemented.
Today Ontario PC Leader, Tim Hudak, released a detailed timeline that contradicts Gerretsen’s damage control, by confirming that the Minister personally approved every single stage of the eco-tax-grab. Hudak also repeated his clear commitment that Ontario families simply can not afford another unfair tax hike and, as Premier, he would get rid of Dalton McGuinty’s eco-tax grab.
Quotes:
“John Gerretsen is proposing that Stewardship Ontario fix what John Gerretsen told Stewardship Ontario to do. The Minister had to personally sign off on every single component of this tax and has, in fact, been doing so – as far back as February of 2008. There can be no passing of the buck.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
“Dalton McGuinty and his minister must stop blaming the agencies that are carrying out their orders. They must stop hiding behind letters. They must stop pointing the finger at everyone else. And, instead, they must start taking responsibility for their own eco-tax grab starting today.”
– Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
Quick Facts:
- Under the Waste Diversion Act the Minister of the Environment must both personally request and approve the funding model (i.e. eco-taxes) for any program introduced under the Act.
- December 12, 2006: Former Environment Minister Laurel Broten formally requests a “Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste” (eco-tax) plan from Waste Diversion Ontario.
- December 6, 2007: Eco-tax plan presented to current Environment Minister, John Gerretsen.
- February 19, 2008: John Gerretsen personally approves of a plan to impose eco-taxes on 4,000 different products.
- July 22, 2008: John Gerretsen officially requests that eco-taxes be applied to a wider range of products.
- September 22, 2009: John Gerretsen personally approves of a plan to impose eco-taxes on 5,000 additional products.
- July 13th, 14th 2010 – John Gerretsen runs for cover by blaming businesses for the McGuinty eco-tax grab and musing about how the tax could be made more transparent.
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
News:
ST. CATHARINES – Ontario PC Leader and Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP, Tim Hudak, visited the Canadian Tire in St. Catharines today to call on Dalton McGuinty to scrap his so-called ‘eco tax’. Hudak committed that, if the McGuinty Liberals fail to eliminate their latest tax grab on Niagara consumers, then a future Ontario PC Government will.
On July 1st, the McGuinty Government was caught trying to sneak in this latest tax in the shadow of their HST tax grab. The funds are collected and levied by a secretive McGuinty Government agency and are subsequently spent without any meaningful transparency or accountability as to whether the money actually succeeds in reducing waste or helping the environment.
The McGuinty Liberals have tried to disguise their latest tax grab as an environmental measure by labelling it an ‘eco’ tax. It is the latest in a growing pattern of Dalton McGuinty using the environment as an excuse for increasing the tax burden on Niagara families.
Quotes:
“The only ‘green’ Dalton McGuinty is truly worried about, is the green in your wallet. From his hidden hydro tax to his so-called ’smart metre’ energy tax grab, to his new secret eco tax, it is clear that Dalton McGuinty will hide his tax grabs behind hollow environment excuses every chance he gets.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
“I am calling on Dalton McGuinty to scrap his eco tax grab before another St. Catharines parent is forced to pay it on bath toys or sunblock for their kids and before another Welland senior pays it on laundry detergent or batteries for their TV remote. And if the McGuinty Liberals won’t scrap this tax, then a PC Government will.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
Quick Facts:
Some of the 10,000 items included in Dalton McGuinty’s eco tax grab are:
- Air conditioners
- Lamps
- Smoke alarms
- Car polish
- Calculators
- Lighters and Matches
- Electric razors
- Electric toothbrushes
- Camcorders
- Lock de-icer
- Batteries
- Fire extinguishers
- Paint in an aerosol can
- Tire pressure gauges
- Bath Toys
- Sunblock
- Drywall putty
- Lantern
- Electric screw-drivers
- Mouse Traps
- Flashlight
- Answering machines
- Laundry Detergent
- Propane BBQ
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
News:
GRIMSBY – Ontario PC Leader and Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP, Tim Hudak, visited the TSC hardware store in Grimsby today to call on Dalton McGuinty to scrap his so-called ‘eco tax’. Hudak committed that, if the McGuinty Liberals fail to eliminate their latest tax grab on Niagara consumers, then a future Ontario PC Government will.
On July 1st, the McGuinty Government was caught trying to sneak in this latest tax in the shadow of their HST tax grab. The funds are collected and levied by a secretive McGuinty Government agency and are subsequently spent without any meaningful transparency or accountability as to whether the money actually succeeds in reducing waste or helping the environment.
The McGuinty Liberals have tried to disguise their latest tax grab as an environmental measure by labelling it an ‘eco’ tax. It is the latest in a growing pattern of Dalton McGuinty using the environment as an excuse for increasing the tax burden on Niagara families.
Quotes:
“The only ‘green’ Dalton McGuinty is truly worried about, is the green in your wallet. From his hidden hydro tax to his so-called ’smart metre’ energy tax grab, to his new secret eco tax, it is clear that Dalton McGuinty will hide his tax grabs behind hollow environment excuses every chance he gets.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
“I am calling on Dalton McGuinty to scrap his eco tax grab before another Grimsby parent is forced to pay it on bath toys or sunblock for their kids and before another Beamsville senior pays it on laundry detergent or batteries for their TV remote. And if the McGuinty Liberals won’t scrap this tax, then a PC Government will.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
Quick Facts:
Some of the 10,000 items included in Dalton McGuinty’s eco tax grab are:
- Air conditioners
- Lamps
- Smoke alarms
- Car polish
- Calculators
- Lighters and Matches
- Electric razors
- Electric toothbrushes Camcorders
- Lock de-icer
- Batteries
- Fire extinguishers
- Paint in an aerosol can
- Tire pressure gauges
- Bath Toys
- Sunblock
- Drywall putty
- Lantern
- Electric screw-drivers
- Mouse Traps
- Flashlight
- Answering machines
- Laundry Detergent
- Propane BBQ
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
News:
Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak called on Dalton McGuinty today to scrap his so-called ‘eco – tax’ and committed that, if the McGuinty Liberals fail to eliminate their latest tax-grab, then a future Ontario PC Government will.
On July 1st, the McGuinty Government was caught trying to sneak in this latest tax in the shadow of their HST tax grab. The funds are collected and levied by a secretive McGuinty Government agency and are subsequently spent without any meaningful transparency or accountability regarding whether this money actually succeeds in reducing waste or helping the environment.
The McGuinty Liberals have tried to disguise their latest tax grab as an environmental measure by labelling it an ‘eco-fee’. It is the latest in a growing pattern of Dalton McGuinty using the environment as an excuse for increasing the tax burden on Ontario families.
Quotes:
“The only ‘green’ Dalton McGuinty is truly worried about, is what’s found in your wallet. From his hidden hydro tax to his so-called ’smart metre’ energy tax grab, to his new secret eco-tax, it is clear that Dalton McGuinty will hide his tax grabs behind hollow environment excuses every chance he gets.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
“Today, I am calling on Dalton McGuinty to scrap his eco tax grab before another Ontario parent pays it on bath toys or sunblock for their kids and before another Ontario senior pays it on laundry detergent or batteries for their TV remote. And if McGuinty Liberals won’t scrap this tax, then a PC Government will.”
–Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak
Quick Facts:
Some of the 10,000 items included in Dalton McGuinty’s eco tax grab are:
- Air conditioners
- Lamps
- Smoke alarms
- Car polish
- Calculators
- Lighters and Matches
- Electric razors
- Electric toothbrushes
- Camcorders
- Lock de-icer
- Batteries
- Fire extinguishers
- Paint in an aerosol can
- Tire pressure gauges
- Bath Toys
- Sunblock
- Drywall putty
- Lantern
- Electric screw-drivers
- Mouse Traps
- Flashlight
- Answering machines
- Laundry Detergent
- Propane BBQ
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Friday, July 9th, 2010
July 1st sees taxes hiked on over 10,000 items with HST and Eco Tax
News:
Ontario families are outraged after catching Dalton McGuinty playing a game of hide and sneak on Canada Day with their tax dollars. Families who will struggle to make ends meet, thanks to the HST tax grab, were shocked to find that Dalton McGuinty slapped a second tax on consumer products starting July 1st, in the form of a hidden eco tax.
Thousands of products were slapped with the new eco tax include household items like dish detergent, hairspray, batteries, thermometers and even fire extinguishers. Yesterday, a government official actually confirmed the McGuinty Liberals tried to keep this tax hidden and made no effort to advertise it.
Ontario families saw the same pattern with the $53 million hidden energy tax Dalton McGuinty slapped on their hydro bills in March earlier this year.
Quotes:
“Only Dalton McGuinty would try to hide one tax grab under another tax grab. It didn’t take long before he was once again caught playing another game of ‘hide and sneak’ with Ontario families’ tax dollars.”
— Lisa Macleod, MPP, Ontario PC Revenue and Government Accountability Critic
“PC leader, Tim Hudak, has been clear. Our promise is simple. An Ontario PC Government will cut taxes.”
— Lisa Macleod, MPP, Ontario PC Revenue and Government Accountability Critic
Quick Facts:
Some of the 10,000 items included in Dalton McGuinty’s eco tax grab are:
- Air conditioners
- Lamps
- Smoke alarms
- Car polish
- Calculators
- Lighters and Matches
- Electric razors
- Electric toothbrushes
- Travel alarm clocks
- Camcorders
- Lock de-icer
- Batteries
- Fire extinguishers
- Paint in an aerosol can
- Tire pressure gauges
- Bath Toys
- Sunblock
- Toilet cleaner
- Drywall putty
- Lantern
- Electric screw-drivers
- Mouse Traps
- Flashlight
- Answering machines
- Laundry Detergent
- Propane BBQ
- Swiffers
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
News:
On Canada Day, Ontario families started paying Dalton McGuinty’s HST tax grab. In the coming days and weeks, taxpayers can expect one unpleasant surprise after another as this new tax continues to take bites out of family budgets.
Today, Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton and Ontario PC Revenue and Government Accountability Critic, announced the creation of a new ‘hashtag’ on Twitter called #justpaidmore and is encouraging all Ontario residents, on the popular social media website, to use it each time they pay more for everyday items courtesy of Dalton McGuinty’s HST tax grab.
The hashtag is the latest tactic Tim Hudak and the Ontario PCs have used to give everyday Ontario families a voice against Dalton McGuinty’s HST. To date, over 8,500 people have voted in an Ontario PC poll asking which item the HST will hurt the family budget the most. The top three items are gasoline, electricity and home renovations. Cast your vote at www.daltonsalestax.com.
Quotes:
“Most people’s first HST experience came at the pumps – with the HST driving up the price of gas eight cents per litre overnight – but there are thousands of ways the HST is hurting family budgets.”
– Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton and PC Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability
“We are asking Ontario families to follow us on Twitter and to participate by telling me and Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak how Dalton McGuinty’s HST tax grab will hurt their family budget the most.”
– Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton and PC Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability
Quick Facts:
A hashtag is a method of flagging keywords in blogs, ‘tweets’ and other social media posts so users can read posts written on the same subject in one easy to find location.
Find out how people ‘just paid more’ for everyday items courtesy of Dalton McGuinty’s HST tax grab by searching ‘justpaidmore’ at http://search.twitter.com.
A sampling of posts using the #justpaidmore hashtag:
- “#justpaidmore at the vet. With Ellie’s weekly appointments with Dr. Gumley, I can see this becoming much more expensive!”
- “Just took another phone call as to call why #HST was on my clients web hosting inv Client not pleased about paying 8% #HST.”
- “My kids just had their hair cut. The shop sign says “It Ain’t the Hair Sales Tax! Sorry, we have to charge #HST!”
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
Monday, July 5th, 2010
Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak today issued the following statement in relation to Ontario PC MPP Bill Murdoch’s announcement that he will not seek re-election in 2011.
“Today I would like to congratulate and thank my colleague, Bill Murdoch, for his 20 years of public service as the Ontario PC Member of Provincial Parliament for the Bruce, Grey and Owen Sound communities.
“With Bill Murdoch’s retirement next year, the Ontario Legislature will lose one of its most tenacious members, a true maverick and a long-standing champion of rural and agricultural Ontario. I know he will be missed by the families in Bruce, Grey and Owen Sound whom he served so well for the past two decades.
“First elected in 1990, there is no greater testament to Bill’s commitment to his riding and dedication to his constituents of Bruce Grey-Owen Sound than being re-elected four consecutive times.
“From fighting the HST to opposing industrial wind farms to his steadfast promotion of Ontario meats and produce, Bill was a tough and effective legislator who stood up proudly for the families he represented at Queen’ Park.
“While he chose not to seek a sixth term, I know ‘Wild’ Bill Murdoch will continue to be an outspoken advocate for Ontario farmers and rural communities in Bruce and Grey counties and across the province.
“On behalf of the Ontario PC Caucus and PC Party, we will miss your straight talk and sense of humour. We wish you and your family the best on your retirement from public life.”
Posted in Ontario | No Comments »
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