Will the Real Tim Hudak Please Stand Up

MORE Provincial Conservatives Support Harmonization


Queen’s Park – We know that Ontario Conservative Leader Tim Hudak supports the HST; earlier this year he said there was “little sense” in having two separate sales taxes and understood how the HST “can help the economy” (March 24th, 2009 – Don Valley West, Conservative Party Annual Meeting).


And his House Leader Bob Runciman also said “I think our Party is supportive of harmonization” and that the HST is “something we think should occur” (March 24, 2009 – Media Scrum).


Who else in the Ontario Conservative Caucus supports tax harmonization?


Ted Chudleigh (Halton): “Taxing businesses for their input costs is also a negative thing to do in an economy. It would be far better if we could find a way to harmonize the PST with the GST.” (October 2, 2008 – Legislative Assembly Hansard)

Silvia Jones (Dufferin-Caledon): “[The government should be] beginning serious consultations with Ottawa on the subject of tax reform.” (March 17, 2008 – Legislative Assembly Hansard)

Ted Arnott (Wellington-Halton Hills): “They must follow the advice they sought from Roger Martin and reduce taxes on new business investment in Ontario.” (March 11, 2009 – Legislative Assembly Hansard)

Norm Sterling (Carleton-Mississippi Mills): “The Ontario government should harmonize its provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax.” (April 23, 1992 – Legislative Assembly Hansard)

Gerry Martiniuk (Cambridge): “We have called on you to stimulate our economy by reducing the tax burden on business and new business investments, eliminating capital taxes in Ontario, reducing taxes on small business, and initiating serious negotiations with the federal government on tax reform.” (October 22, 2008 – Legislative Assembly Hansard)

Peter Shurman (Thornhill): “I am not saying that harmonization ultimately is a bad idea.” (March 24, 2009 – Media Scrum)

Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora): “No one can argue with wanting a more simplified tax process I think we all support that.” (May 21, 2009 – London Conservative Leadership Debate)

Now we know why Tim Hudak is so slippery when asked why he won’t commit to reversing a single aspect of the McGuinty Government’s tax reforms.