Review of so-called health tax is a sham

Next week I will join members of the Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs to review the so-called health tax that was introduced by Premier McGuinty in his first budget in 2004.

During the 2003 election the people of Ontario did not vote for this tax on income. People voted for McGuinty because he promised change -- and promised not to raise taxes.

In 2003 Mr. McGuinty went on television to promise he wouldn’t raise our taxes and then he brought in the largest personal income tax increase in the history of Ontario. To save face, Premier McGuinty falsely called the tax a premium and has been disguising it as such every since. A whopping health premium is a tax -- a so-called health tax is a tax!

With the introduction of the 2004 Ontario budget following the election, the Liberals turned their back on their much publicized commitment to universal health care – not only with the regressive, two-tier health tax but also with their regressive, two-tier delisting of vital health services. Think of physiotherapy, optometry and chiropractic services.

Today the McGuinty Liberals continue to defend their actions despite knowing that health care continues to be denied to those who do not have the money to pay for it – that’s two-tier health care. This flies in the face of promoting preventative, community-based primary health care services.

The Finance Committee review next week is required by the law brought in by the McGuinty government after the 2003 election; however, this review is redundant because the Premier refuses to consider repealing the $2.6 billion tax – a tax costing every eligible taxpayer in the province up to $900 each year.

Last March Premier McGuinty himself said: “We’re mandated by law to review that health tax and we will do that…I think the outcome is pretty predictable.”

With the promise of a review in five years – people of this province expected that the review would seriously look at phasing out the tax rather than just going through the motions. The government was also posting surpluses almost equal to the amount collected from the health tax -- and health care wasn’t noticeably improving.

People in our riding of Haldimand-Norfolk and right across Ontario feel they are paying more but getting less. Folks who experience long waits in the Emergency Room, or for hip/knee replacement, cancer care, MRIs and CAT scans are wondering where their health tax contribution is going?

I feel people are being duped – first by the broken promise, and now because the Premier has said the review is merely a technicality. This is a disappointment. If you too are disappointed, I encourage you to put your thoughts on paper by 5 p.m. on August 7 and send them to the Clerk of the Finance Committee. Give my office a call and we will provide you with the Clerk’s coordinates.

It’s no wonder people are cynical about politics and politicians. I continue to question where health tax dollars are going? And given this infusion of an additional $2.6 billion a year into the Treasury, I also question what is happening to the McGuinty government surplus? Truth in taxes and the state of our economy is long overdue.