NEWS:

With Dalton McGuinty’s HST tax grab less than two weeks away, MPP Lisa MacLeod, Nepean-Carleton, Ontario PC Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability, and MPP Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk, Ontario PC Environment Critic, were in Brantford today to issue a warning on how the new tax will impact Ontario seniors and especially those on fixed incomes. The HST will hurt seniors on fixed incomes who will be forced to pay 8% more for items like hydro, home heating fuel, natural gas, haircuts, gasoline, home renovation and repairs, mutual fund fees, estate planning and snow removal.

A recent CARP study confirmed that over 72% of seniors "Oppose Ontario and B.C. harmonizing their sales taxes with the GST, while 58.2% believe that the HST will not be good for the Canadian economy."

QUOTES

"The HST is a tax on seniors, their financial security and their peace of mind.  This shows how out-of-touch Dalton McGuinty has become, to force people on fixed income to pay for his spending addiction."

-- Lisa MacLeod, MPP Nepean-Carleton and Ontario PC Critic for Revenue and Government Accountability

"If Dalton McGuinty took the time to do what I am doing and listen to the concerns of struggling Ontario seniors, he would find out that seniors' budgets are already stretched to the limit."

--Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk

QUICK FACTS

A partial list of the goods and services used by seniors that will skyrocket in price with the HST include:

• Hydro
• Home heating fuel
• Natural gas
• Gasoline
• Vitamins
• Financial advisory services
• Mutual fund fees
• Condo fees
• Retirement & nursing home costs
• Air plane tickets
• Funerals and estate planning costs
• Home renovation & repairs
• Lawn maintenance
• Snow removal
• Golf green and driving range fees
• Bicycles and bicycle safety equipment
• Gym memberships
• Train tickets

Seniors are not a priority for Dalton McGuinty. Wait lists for long-term care beds have doubled since he became Premier.  Dalton McGuinty also recently introduced cuts to frontline health care that threaten to close down many pharmacies, especially in rural and northern communities, and which will also increase wait times and out-of-pocket fees for much needed medication, Ontario seniors depend on.