Madam Speaker, coming from the municipal sector, I recognized quickly that there were methods to the way we charge people in terms of what their impacts are and therefore who pays for it. I will give an example of development charges.
Development charges are placed on a developer who creates growth-related costs. This then takes the emphasis off the overall population, the taxpayer, and places it on the person who actually creates those growth-related costs. This concept is no different. This is the same by recognizing who is responsible for pollution and pollution-related costs, taking the emphasis off the overall taxpayer and placing it on those who are creating the pollution-related costs.
Therefore, does the presenter not recognize that while he states they want to invest in environmental initiatives, wetlands, infrastructure, water, waste water, drainage for our farmers, health care, all those are unfortunately the bearer of those pollution-related costs? Does the presenter not agree that the direction we have taken will be a proper direction to then alleviate the pressure on the overall taxpayer regardless of what level of government may exact taxes, to then therefore deal with the problem?