QUEEN'S PARK, Nov. 30 /CNW/ - We know that Ontario Conservative Leader Tim Hudak supports the HST; earlier this year he said there was "little sense" in having two separate sales taxes and understood how the HST "can help the economy" (March 24th, 2009 - Don Valley West, Conservative Party Annual Meeting).
And his House Leader Bob Runciman also said "I think our Party is supportive of harmonization" and that the HST is "something we think should occur" (March 24, 2009 - Media Scrum).
Ted Chudleigh (Halton): "Taxing businesses for their input costs is also a negative thing to do in an economy. It would be far better if we could find a way to harmonize the PST with the GST." (October 2, 2008 - Legislative Assembly Hansard)
Norm Sterling (Carleton-Mississippi Mills): "The Ontario government should harmonize its provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax." (April 23, 1992 - Legislative Assembly Hansard)
Okay, so that one is from a long time ago...
Gerry Martiniuk (Cambridge): "We have called on you to stimulate our economy by reducing the tax burden on business and new business investments, eliminating capital taxes in Ontario, reducing taxes on small business, and initiating serious negotiations with the federal government on tax reform." (October 22, 2008 - Legislative Assembly Hansard)
Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora): "No one can argue with wanting a more simplified tax process I think we all support that." (May 21, 2009 - London Conservative Leadership Debate)
Note that Tin Hudak is willing to let his MPPs pound on desks and generally look silly, but he has stated that he will not repeal the tax if elected. Oh, and lets not forget that the harmonization is a deal between the Provincial Liberals and the Federal Tories. As head desk-pounder Bill Murdoch has already admitted:
Stephen Harper Conservatives are pretending they had nothing to do with the controversial plan to blend the federal and provincial sales tax in Ontario, Tory MPP Bill Murdoch says.
"They can't divorce themselves away from this," Murdoch told Sun Media. "They're part of this whole scheme."
Tom Hudak is following in the footsteps of the NDP acting without principle.
ReplyDeleteHST will happen, the majority will push it through and be delayed until the Liberals cut off debate.
Same with the Fed Liberals, it makes no sense to reject a policy you support for a percieved short term gain.
The provincial Ontario Conservatives are expressing faux outrage about the HST. If the Conservatives form the next government, I think it is 100 percent likely that they will not repeal the HST.
ReplyDeleteTom Hudak...
ReplyDelete"Tim" Hudak, you boob.
Even I know that, and I avoid provincial politics like the plague.