For immediate release:
July 26, 2006

Convenience stores deserve fairness from government- Barrett

Newmarket—MPP Toby Barrett outlined last night how the McGuinty government’s tobacco policy will harm corner stores, in an address to the Ontario Korean Businessmen’s Association.

“You are the unintended victims of this process,” Barrett said.  “You’re the victims of a lack of consultation – from a government that sees no problem in changing the rules halfway through the game.”

“Since the McGuinty Liberals are taking in additional tax revenue, they should be ready to share some of this windfall with the people who have been hurt and left holding the bill through their sudden, unexpected, and unpredictable changes,” Barrett went on to say.

In its war on tobacco farmers, the McGuinty government has inflicted collateral damage on convenience store owners.  Higher tobacco taxes have resulted in lost revenue and a surge of armed robberies for corner store owners.

“This not only includes tobacco growers – whose livelihoods are also hit hard – but people at the retail end as well,” Barrett pointed out.  “The side effect of the current government’s tobacco control program is to increase the viability of the black market cigarette trade as well as the vulnerability of convenience stores to armed robbery.”  

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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (519) 428-0446 or
1-800-903-8629