Walking Out On Queens Park...Walking Out On Democracy

Last week Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak and his Conservative MPP’s walked out of the legislature in protest of Premier McGuinty's proposed Harmonized Sales Tax. Not only was this walk out rude and disrespectful to the Ontario Liberal MPP's but this was a clear indication that the Ontario Conservatives have little to no regard for the democratic process in Canada. In Ontario, we elect politicians to represent us at Queens Park. By Tim Hudak and the rest of the Conservative caucus walking out of the legislature, they are leaving all the people that voted for them without representation. If they truly cared about the HST they would have cooperated with the Liberals instead of pulling an amateur move and walk away. It is disheartening to see such a blatant disregard for the democratic process.

Hudak and the Ontario Conservatives are opposed to the Harmonized Sales Tax simply because they see this as a chance to sway support from the Liberal to the Conservative Party. They are angry that Premier McGuinty has not allowed public hearings on the proposed HST, but one wonders why? Have opposition parties asked for public meetings about proposed taxes in the past? NO!

Hudak and the Ontario Conservatives tell tall tales about the implications of the Harmonized Sales Tax. However, Roger Martin, Dean of the Rotman School of Management and chairman of the Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress and James Milway, Executive Director of the task force's research arm, the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity, wrote in a recent Globe and Mail editorial about the proposed HST "The provincial government is proposing bold tax reform. Part of it is politically unpopular – but the package will improve Ontario's global competitiveness and benefit us all through more investment, more jobs and higher incomes. If we want to improve economic prospects for us and for our children, we should implement these proposals."

I urge the public to see through these partisan distractions that the Ontario Conservative party is trying to blind you with. Instead of listening to the lies and unnecessary partisan opinions of Hudak and his MPP’s, look at the big picture.

The Ontario Conservatives are opposed to the democratic process and representing your views. I don't know about you, but I like being represented at Queens Park...