 | The Ontario Progressive Conservatives held their annual conference this weekend in Toronto and became the first major provincial party to release its platform for the upcoming provincial election. Today, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak officially released a document called Changebook.
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Cornwall - May. 29, 2011 - The Ontario Progressive Conservatives held their annual conference this weekend in Toronto and became the first major provincial party to release its platform for the upcoming provincial election.
Today, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak officially released a document called Changebook which is the result of extensive consultations with Ontario families and PC Party members.
The PC Party says that the three pillars of changebook are: change that means more money in the pockets of hardworking Ontario families, change that guarantees the services you need, like health and education; and change to clean up government and eliminate waste, fraud and secret deals.
Hudak said this election offers Ontario families choice: a choice between higher taxes and tax relief; a choice between a party that knows that hydro costs have grown out of control and one that thinks that Ontario families have an unlimited ability to pay more; and a choice between a party that understands what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet and a government that is out of touch.
“We are proud to be the first party to bring our plan forward to Ontario families and we are proud of the positive change it represents. We will make life more affordable for families and make government work for the people who pay the bills,” stated Hudak.
Some highlights include:
Tax relief for families through income sharing
Cancellation of eco taxes and removal of HST on hydro bills and home heating
Cancellation of the debt retirement charges on hydro bills
Elimination of mandatory smart meters
Reduce business tax rate by 10%
Deliver a business risk management program for farmers
Reduce the size of Cabinet and the Ontario Public Sector
Increase annual health care spending by $6.1 billion over four years
Establish wait time guarantees for emergency room visits
Eliminate the costly Local Health Integration Networks
Implement full-day kindergarten for all schools
Re-instate the fall report card for elementary students that was eliminated last year
Give more cities and towns access to the gas tax revenue
Ensure 100% of hunting and fishing licence revenue is dedicated to conservation
Require welfare recipients to be residents of Ontario for one year before collecting benefits.
Require provincial prisoners to work up to 40 hours per week of manual labour
Crack down on the sale of illegal tobacco
To view the complete changebook document, click HERE.
Things are starting to heat up in the riding of Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry as voters are getting clearer picture of the names that will be on the ballot.
South Glengarry Mayor Jim McDonnell has already won the Progressive Conservative nomination. Former Cornwall city councillor Mark MacDonald, retired St. Lawrence College Director Pat Finucan and Parliament Hill staffer Denis Sabourin have announced their intention to seek the Liberal nomination. Cornwall City Councillor Elaine MacDonald has announced her bid for the NDP nomination. The Green Party has yet to announce their nomination plans.
Ontarians go to the polls on Thursday October 6, 2011.
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