Mr. Speaker, in Ontario, Mike Harris was the self-proclaimed tax fighter. Now the Prime Minister is picking up the mantle.
In his mini-budget, he chose to compound rather than alleviate the devastation of hurricane Harris. Yes, some of the targeted tax relief for the lowest income earners and small businesses was welcome, but no fair-minded person would believe that the big banks and oil companies needed $7 billion in corporate tax cuts to pad their already record-breaking profits. The 1% cut in the GST will deliver a mere $10 to anyone who can spend $1,000, but will cost us collectively $5 billion in foregone community investments.
Seniors, whose hard-earned money built the programs that are now being gutted, deserve better. Children, whose success depends on excellence in education, deserve better. Workers, whose jobs and pensions depend on a manufacturing sector strategy, deserve better. Cities, whose infrastructure supports our community and economy, deserve better.
The Conservatives are intent on taking us in the wrong direction, but in a minority government they could have been stopped. Shame on the Liberals for helping the budget to pass.