July 20, 2010

Opposition protest cancels eco tax - for now!!

Queens Park: Government's failed, unaccountable eco tax experiment has
been scrapped following a growing outcry from those across the province
opposed to ever higher fees.

Environment Minister Gerretsen admitted responsibility for the botched
Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste diversion program eco taxes on over
9,000 products earlier this morning. Gerretsen announced the taxes would
be cancelled and that there will be a 90 day review.

"In two short weeks Minister Gerretsen has moved from 'hide and sneak'
to 'duck and run' - first sticking us with thousands of extra fees under
the cover of the HST, then admitting failure in hopes of silencing a
taxed-off public," Barrett retorted following the Minister's
announcement. "We've gone from retail chaos to 90 days of uncertainty -
a three month delay that will be bad for business, bad for consumers and
for the environment.

"He should know we'll all be waiting when the Minister's delay ploy
concludes and he attempts to reintroduce this wrongheaded approach to
diversion funding."

At a Toronto news conference hosted by Barrett and Opposition Leader Tim
Hudak, Mr. Hudak reconfirmed that while government may plan an eco tax
redux, a PC Government would eliminate the McGuinty eco-tax once and for
all.

"This is what happens when you have a government that is out-of-gas,
out-of-touch and asleep at the switch. It is only a matter of time
before Dalton McGuinty once again tries to sneak in this eco-tax when he
hopes nobody is looking," said Hudak. "There is only one way to keep the
McGuinty Liberal eco-tax off our receipts and off our store shelves and
that is to replace this government. As Premier I will scrap this tax
once and for all."

Over the past twenty days, the McGuinty Liberal eco-tax has created
chaos and confusion at cash registers throughout Ontario, while the
McGuinty government has engaged in a blame game, pointing fingers at
businesses, government agencies and previous governments before finally
today admitting responsibility.

In what amounts to a glaring understatement, today's news conference saw
Minister Gerretsen confess "I as minister could have done a better job
for communicating these changes."

"It's incumbent on people in Ontario to make sure he doesn't get another
chance," Barrett responded.

THE PC PARTY PLAN FOR ONTARIO'S FUTURE

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