For Immediate Release
November 18, 2004

Second crack at recall legislation proves taxpayers want to be empowered

Queen’s Park -- Recall of politicians is again at the forefront at Queen’s Park with the introduction of Bill 148, Recall Act, 2004, by Jim Flaherty, PC MPP for Whitby-Ajax.

Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett introduced Bill 39 Recall Act, 2004, on March 22 of this year. Barrett’s reason for introducing the bill was to give people the opportunity to hold elected officials accountable between elections.

Barrett’s Recall Act was defeated.

“This is the same government that campaigned on the promise of democratic renewal,” Barrett said. “I’m glad that my colleague and friend Jim Flaherty is going another round on this – taxpayers are fed up with broken promises and blatant lies.”

Flaherty’s bill shares the same title as Barrett’s, but has differences in detail. Here’s how Flaherty’s bill would work if passed: any taxpayer in a riding could approach Ontario’s Chief Election Officer and receive a form that would entitle the person to begin collecting signatures of at least 25 per cent of the riding’s eligible voters. Following 60 days of petitioning, the Election Officer would verify all signatures and a recall referendum writ would be issued within 28 and 56 days. In the event that the referendum garnered more than 50 per cent support of the voters, a bi-election would be held.

Meanwhile, Tasha Kheiriddin, director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, is currently in court where a CTF lawsuit against Premier McGuinty and Finance Minister Greg Sorbara is being heard. The lawsuit is in response to the Liberal government’s violation of the Taxpayer Protection Act by bringing in the new health tax.

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 905-765-8413 or 1-800-903-8629