For immediate release:
Sept 20, 2004

Barrett joins call on government to re-think health tax in wake of new health-care deal

Moosonee – Now that the federal government has agreed to provide more healthcare money to the provinces, it’s time for the McGuinty government to take its hands out of taxpayers pockets according to Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett.

Barrett has joined Finance Committee Colleague John O’Toole in his call for the provincial government to re-think its controversial new health tax after a federal/provincial heath deal that will give Ontario more than a billion dollars annually in new healthcare funds.

“Once the federal funds begin to flow, people in Ontario will be paying twice for the health care improvements we were told to expect from a Liberal government that claimed it wouldn’t raise your taxes,” said Barrett. “They’ll pay once through the new federal monies, and twice through the McGuinty health tax – when you add it up you get a double whammy that is hitting taxpayers from both ends.”

Mr. O’Toole called on the provincial government to provide a clear accounting of how the new federal funds can be used to offset the new healthcare tax.

“In view of the additional federal funding, the citizens of Ontario shouldn’t have to keep paying the new tax,” the Durham MPP said.

Barrett advocates that Premier McGuinty should also reinstate the healthcare services he plans to de-list, including physiotherapy, routine eye exams and chiropractic care given the new federal funding announcement.

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For more information contact: MPP Toby Barrett 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629