NDP finance critic has gives pre-budget ear to Ontarians

Ontarians are fine with paying taxes as long as it’s fair, says the Ontario NDP Finance Critic.

More than 15 people attended the pre-budget roundtable discussion at the Oliver Road Community Centre on Sunday. Those who attended talked about the problems with social services, the cost of tuition, employees on disability and healthcare.

Thunder Bay was the final stop on NDP Finance Critic Michael Prue’s three-week tour of the province. The MPP for Beaches and East York said he’s learned a lot about what Ontarians want in the budget, which is expected sometime in March.

He said many have told him they don’t mind paying taxes but only if it’s fair.

“We have to get back to a tax system that more fairly mirrors people’s ability to pay,” he said. “They don’t mind paying taxes but they want to make sure everybody pays fairly on a graduated scale like it used to be. Ontarians are feeling concerned and somewhat depressed about the state of the economy. They are talking about real solutions on how we can find extra money. Ordinary people have extraordinary ideas.”

Some of the suggestions Prue has heard have included a Robin Hood Tax, which would take five dollars off every million invested in the stock market each day or making liquor stores government run.

With a minority government, the Liberals will need the support of either the NDP or the Progressive Conservatives.  Prue said it was strange that the government wasn’t looking to get support from either party because they haven’t established any committees.

The Liberals would do well to listen to more voices than economist Don Drummond, he said.

“We don’t know what’s happening here in Ontario but we do know the NDP support hinges on the budget helping to support people in Ontario and make life easier for them,” he said.

Prue said he would prefer to wait until after Drummond gives his suggestions for programing cuts on Wednesday before commenting but added that he doubted the Liberals would cut programs such as all-day kindergarten.

Among the discussions was how Ontario can eliminate its multibillion-dollar deficit.

Premier Dalton McGuinty, in a speech to the Canadian Club of Toronto last month, predicted that with their plan they will have the deficit eliminated by 2017.  In order to achieve this, he said they will have to slow down on spending but continue to support education and healthcare and not raise taxes. Instead, the savings will be made through reforms, he said.

Last month, the province announced one of those reforms.

The Ontario government gave another responsibility to the Local Health Integration Network in an effort to trim Ontario’s $16 billion deficit. Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews told reporters that family health care will fall under the responsibility of the 14 regional LHINs.

Prue added the LHIN needed to be reformed or removed.

“We need something where the government is ultimately responsible,” he said. “If the LHIN isn’t going to be local and take into account local opinion then it is time for it to go.”

Follow Jeff Labine on Twitter @Labine_reporter

 

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