Ms Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My statement today involves the ability of small businesses in Ontario to continue to grow and prosper. This government in six short months has cancelled $4 billion in tax decreases that would have benefited both individual taxpaying citizens as well as many of Ontario's small business owners. This government's economic position seems to be that higher taxes on small business create jobs and prosperity.

As I know this House is aware, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has strongly opposed the elimination of Bill 140, which allows municipalities to increase small business taxes all over Ontario. It seems that this government's position is that the CFIB is wrong on this issue and that your higher-taxes-lead-to-economic-growth strategy is better thought out than their lower-taxes-lead-to-economic-growth strategy.

The small businesses in my community and around Ontario want to know that in the budget of May 18 this government is not going to develop a pattern of raising taxes on the backs of small businesses to pay for their many campaign promises. The future of Ontario's economy depends on your answers.

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