Budget

March 23, 2007 - Ontario budget confirms bad news for Caledonia
2007/2008 budget a missed opportunity to adequately fulfill compensation promise

Caledonia—Ontario’s 2007-2008 budget is the latest example of the McGuinty government abandoning Caledonia and Haldimand County, MPP Toby Barrett said today in Caledonia. [Read More]

March 22, 2007 - Barrett: Ontario limps along as McGuinty continues to spend recklessly
McGuinty spends an extra $22 billion, but Ontario sees weak results

Queen’s Park—MPP Toby Barrett today said Dalton McGuinty has collected over $4,500 more per household in taxes since he was elected, but Ontario’s families and businesses have seen meager results in return.  Dalton McGuinty’s high taxes, reckless spending and weak leadership have chased 120,000 well-paying manufacturing jobs from Ontario. [Read More]

OCTOBER 31, 2006- BUDGET MEASURES ACT, 2006
Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): I welcome the opportunity to address Bill 151 this afternoon. As we know, this is the Budget Measures Act. In looking at this piece of proposed legislation, I would like to try to determine how it would relate to my riding down in Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant and what it might do, being a bill about our economy, to help out with respect to our farm economy and our rural economy in Ontario.[more]

March 23, 2006 - BUDGET 2006: ONTARIANS STILL PAYING MORE, GETTING LESS
Ontario’s economy falling behind while Liberals make even more promises destined to be broken

QUEEN’S PARK—The McGuinty Liberals are indulging in another year-end spending spree that will not improve the lives of Ontarians, while their reckless economic policy endangers Ontarians’ jobs and futures, says Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant.

“Dalton McGuinty has not kept his promises in his platform, he has not kept his promises in his previous two budgets,” said Barrett. “Yet he expects people to believe that he is going to keep the 40-plus new promises in this Budget. After two-and-a-half years of promise-breaking, does anyone believe that Dalton McGuinty is going to be the first Liberal premier to actually complete a subway extension?” [more]

March 23, 2006 - McGuinty misses opportunity to support farmers on his doorstep
Weary farmers met with $244 million slash in agriculture spending
Queen’s Park – A missed opportunity.

That’s how PC Agriculture Critic Toby Barrett summed up the lack of attention paid to the much-publicized farm crises in today’s budget – a budget that has cut Ministry of Agriculture spending by $244 million.

Barrett said the budget was a chance for McGuinty and Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky to show farmers that have rallied across Ontario in recent months – including a week-long protest at Queens Park preceding the budget – that government has heard their plight and is ready to act. Instead weary farmers were met with the second cut in agriculture spending in as many years.
“We’ve been tapping this government on the shoulder for months now and yet the government still has its back turned,” said Barrett. “Farmers from all walks have rallied around Queens Park to make sure that this time around they wouldn’t be ignored by the McGuinty budget – yet again it seems government has turned a blind eye.” [more]

March 23, 2006 - McGuinty and Duncan stoke the fires in tobacco country
Desperate farmers are met with deep cuts to agriculture

Queen’s Park—MPP Toby Barrett expressed the outrage being felt by tobacco farmers after being left out in the cold by today’s budget.

“Leading up to the budget, we learned that the government was practically floating in extra money from high corporate and health taxes,” Barrett said outside the Legislature.  “Over the past few weeks they have been spending our money like drunken sailors, purposely breaking their promise about deficit spending for a third consecutive year.” [more]

Column : Budget: we’re paying more, getting less

Big promises, big spending, and missed opportunities to invest in farm and rural Ontario is the upshot of last week’s McGuinty budget.

The 2006 budget was a chance for Premier McGuinty and Agriculture Minister Dombrowsky to show farmers that have rallied across Ontario in recent months – including a week-long protest at Queens Park preceding the budget – that government has heard their plight and is ready to act. Instead, weary farmers were met with the second cut in agriculture spending in as many years – a 21 per cent cut totaling $244 million. Cash-crop farmers are slated to receive 52 per cent less this year, once you look at the budget figures. [more]

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Monday 3 April 2006
2006 ONTARIO BUDGET

Mr. Barrett: I'd like to address this budget amendment, and I'll be splitting my time with the member from Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.

It is becoming increasingly clear that what we're really debating is a "pay more, get less" budget. I think the member opposite referred to it as a "do more" budget. I do know that at the London farmers' rally today there were a number of signs on tractors that would disagree with the "do more" statement. In fact, the signs stated "Dalton -- Do Nothing." This was seen to be the theme today at the London rally, and of course lots of signs of "Pinocchio" along with the "Farmers Feed Cities," the bright yellow and black signs that we're all so familiar with.

So it's a pay more, get less budget. I would hate to have someone try and switch that one around. In fact, we've been paying more and getting less for several years now, certainly since 2003 with the advent of the McGuinty government. [more]