Mr. Speaker, in Ontario, a significant number of households fit the definition of energy poverty; that is, 10% or more of household expenditures are spent simply procuring the energy needed to live, to power the home and for transportation. When we add up the costs to power the home and cars, 19.4% of Canadian households devote at least 10% or more of their expenditures to energy. Energy poverty is unconscionable in a country with the world's third-largest proven oil reserves and that is the fourth-largest generator of hydro power.
In Ontario, taxpayers have been paying the carbon tax on power since 2009. That year, the Ontario Liberal Party brought in a huge carbon tax on electricity. It was brought in under legislation properly referred to as the “greed energy act”. The greed energy act was conceived by Gerald Butts, and as principal secretary today to the Prime Minister, Butts played the same role to the disgrace—