Session: 38:2
Date: 17-May-2007

MINING TAX

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I'm pleased to rise this morning to speak on the private member's resolution brought forward by my colleague from Oxford that says, "That, in the opinion of this House, the government must do more to protect Ontario jobs and as a first step should repeal the section of Bill 187, An Act respecting budget measures, interim appropriations and other matters, 2007, that imposes a 13% tax on diamond mines."

I fully support this resolution. We speak in the House all the time about the job losses that Ontario has incurred. The manufacturing sector alone had over 137,000 job losses; 13,000 last month alone. I spoke this month about the loss of my manufacturing plant at Fleetwood, in Lindsay, and the possible loss of more companies in the Lindsay and Victoria-Haliburton area because of the loss of that one plant, and how this government has sat there and let this happen. By imposing this improper mining tax without notice on De Beers, that is trying to stimulate jobs in the northern community-the case the member from Timmins-James Bay spoke so passionately about-what message are you not getting over there? You speak, but we certainly don't believe it and we don't see it on the ground, of the good things you're doing for Ontario and the economy. Why are the job losses occurring, then?

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You slam the previous government. We were the leader in North America in job creation. So your comments are so unfounded and so ridiculous. I mean, you haven't seen a tax increase that you didn't like, that you didn't embrace: "How can we make more tax increases?"

The member from Kitchener Centre speaks that he was at the chamber of commerce. Well, you should listen a little bit more intensely about how they feel about the climate in Ontario and how we're driving jobs out of Ontario and what changes they'd like to see, because it's not the same message that the McGuinty Liberals are grabbing. You're consistent, I have to say, on breaking promises. I have to say you're consistent on breaking promises.

What about the single largest health tax? You said, "I won't raise your taxes." The single largest tax grab in the history of the province was under Dalton McGuinty, only weeks after he'd done the advertisement and signed the paper that he wouldn't increase your taxes. They increased spending by $22 billion in less than four years. Just today we hear the high-class view of himself, that he deserves over a million dollars in flights, flying over all those areas that have lost their jobs. It's just incredible, the arrogance that this government shows, and the disrespect for taxpayers' money.

We've brought forward ideas in this House. It was supported by all parties, about a job strategy for Ontario, because the facts are out there, the loss of jobs in Ontario. We all need to work together to create more jobs, to create an environment for jobs. So when the government slips in this little increased tax for the diamond mine that's going to help job creation in rural, remote areas that so desperately need jobs? I don't think so. What were you thinking over there? How could you do it to the First Nations, the aboriginals who are working with De Beers, trying to pull themselves up, trying to get jobs, trying to make better places in their communities, cleaner water, better housing, better education?

Interjections.
Ms. Scott: You're taking that away from them in this tax and you've been disrespectful to the people of Ontario-

The Deputy Speaker: Member for Peterborough, you're out of your seat.

Ms. Scott: -with the amount of job losses that have gone on. It just blows me away that you people can ignore job creation opportunities. We've brought forward a job strategy plan. You supported it. An eastern Ontario secretariat-we've lost tons and tons of manufacturing jobs. An eastern Ontario economic development fund, even, similar to the northern development fund: You've ignored that. You're ignoring eastern Ontario and now you are slamming northern Ontario with this diamond tax, this hidden tax, singling out De Beers like they're not a good company, and they've been working with aboriginals and First Nations. Do you think you're helping them? This is an incredibly arrogant move on the part of the government and I want the people of Ontario to know the message for the Dalton McGuinty government: Stop driving jobs out of Ontario.

PROVINCIAL ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACT, 2007 (CONTINUED)

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I'm pleased to rise today on comments from the member from Hamilton East on Bill 165, the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act, which would make the advocate an independent officer who reports to the Legislature.

She spoke quite passionately about the people who presented at committee, the people who work on behalf of our children-our vulnerable children, our youth-and what we need to do to better protect them. She made a lot of good points about the people who came. We thank them for all the work that they do and all the amendments that they brought forward-a lot, I take it, that weren't successful in being implemented in the bill-to make it a better bill.

She expressed strong concern that the advocate would not be able to have formal investigative powers to get to all the records for documents for the schools for the deaf, the schools for the blind, demonstration schools and for those who are over the age of 18. That's a very important point to make. This bill has taken a long time to come to the Legislature. They promised it, I think, two or three times. Three and a half years into the mandate, it's now here and finally on its third reading just a few weeks before this session will end and we go to the polls. It's a little tragic, when it was to be a priority, that it has taken that long to come forward.

But it is here before us. It's in its third reading. It's a step forward than it was before. I think the present advocate, Judy Finlay, has done a great job for many, many years on this. But there were comments made from the member from Hamilton East about the fact that there's a lack of Ombudsman oversight. She has made a lot of good points. She spoke very passionately about it. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this bill before us today.