Thank you to the minister for his response and the great work he does within his ministry.

The people in my riding of Thornhill and across this province want an end to the Liberal carbon tax. They feel the impact every time they’re at the gas pumps, buying groceries or paying their heating bill.

Ontarians are looking for relief, not more tax hikes. While our government, under the leadership of our Premier, has spoken out against the tax since day one, the NDP and the Liberals have not done the same. We know that the carbon tax makes life more difficult and is unfair to all Ontarians. That’s why we won’t give up our fight until this tax is abolished.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how the carbon tax unfairly impacts the people of Ontario?

My question is for the Minister of Energy. The inflation and affordability concerns Ontarians are facing right now are a direct result of the federal carbon tax. Individuals and families are paying higher taxes and higher costs for the necessities of life, like food, gas and housing. The carbon tax is not working. It’s adding more financial pressure for Ontarians, and there is no environmental gain. But the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, and her Liberal caucus are supporting their federal buddies and a failed tax policy that has been proven not to work.

Speaker, can the minister please tell the House how our government is keeping costs down for the people as we all suffer from the Liberals’ incompetence and insensitive economic management?

My question is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

The Liberal carbon tax is making life unnecessarily more difficult for people throughout the province. Due to the increased costs of goods and services, more Ontarians are struggling to afford basic essentials and make ends meet. Behind this record inflation and rising carbon tax, people are facing real harsh realities.

It’s time for the federal government to finally listen to Ontarians and stop piling on even more financial burdens. They must scrap the tax now.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how the Liberal carbon tax is impacting consumer confidence in Ontario?

I’m glad to see that, unlike the Liberals and the NDP, our government is actually listening to the concerns of the people who elected us.

Speaker, Ontario has had enough of the Liberal carbon tax. After last month’s carbon tax hike, commuters are being forced to pay more at the gas pumps. That’s unfair to the residents in northern, rural and remote communities—and Thornhill—who rely heavily on vehicles for their work and to run their daily errands. The federal Liberals and their provincial buddies need to start respecting Ontarians and get rid of this unnecessary tax.

Can the minister please elaborate on how the Liberal carbon tax overlooks the varied needs and challenges experienced in communities across Ontario?

My question is to the Solicitor General.

The Liberal carbon tax is pushing families and businesses in my riding of Thornhill and across the entire province to their limit. Ontarians have to pay more for their daily necessities, from their grocery bills to filling their cars at the gas pumps—and I did that just the other night. And with this month’s 23% hike, Ontarians are justifiably concerned about the impact this will have on our public safety system.

Public safety is a top priority for communities, and it’s essential that our first responders have the tools they need to keep people safe.

Can the Solicitor General please explain the negative impacts of the carbon tax on law enforcement and public safety agencies across Ontario?

It’s encouraging to hear that our government is supporting our vital first responders and calling on the federal Liberals to scrap the tax. The same can’t be said for the NDP and the independent Liberal members in this House, as they choose to side with this unjust tax grab.

With media reports about criminal activities in communities across this province, people in my riding want to make sure that our front-line police officers have the support they need to carry out their duties. They’re concerned that the Liberal carbon tax is placing a strain on policing budgets.

Our hard-working police officers deserve to have the resources they need to respond to emergencies so that Ontarians can live safely in their communities.

Can the Solicitor General please elaborate on how the carbon tax is negatively impacting police services?

My question is for the Minister of Energy. At a time when families across Ontario struggle to cover their basic living expenses, the federal carbon tax is an additional burden to their already stretched budgets. Despite the hardship people in Ontario are going through, the Liberals, led by the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, and the opposition NDP, want to triple this tax by 2030.

Speaker, Ontarians need urgent relief from the negative impacts of this devastating tax. And despite the Liberals’ persistent advocacy for higher taxes, our government understands the need to alleviate financial pressure and deliver real affordability for the people of this province.

Speaker, can the minister please tell the House what actions our government is taking to combat the carbon tax?

On April 1, the federal Liberals, alongside their NDP allies, enacted a staggering 23% carbon tax. That’s crazy. This is unacceptable, Speaker.

This tax hike inflicts further harm on families across Ontario, forcing an additional 17.6 cents per litre to their gas bills. It’s not surprising that Ontarians across this province oppose this unjust measure. But it’s unfortunate that the Liberal and the NDP members in this House care more about playing politics than advocating on behalf of the people they represent.

Speaker, Ontarians need relief. The federal government needs to abolish the carbon tax now. Could the minister please elaborate on how this recent tax hike imposed by the Liberals is adversely affecting Ontarians?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business.

The federal Liberal government has been collecting billions of dollars in carbon tax from small businesses and has promised those same small businesses that they would receive rebates. With $1.3 billion owed in rebates, we have yet to hear the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, and her Liberal Party call on their federal buddies for a plan to pay Ontario businesses back. But it’s not surprising, considering her inaction during the recent carbon tax hike.

While the Prime Minister and the Ontario Liberals bizarrely claim this damaging tax hike will benefit future generations, our government knows what Ontarians really need is an end to this disastrous tax.

Can the associate minister explain how the carbon tax hike provides no environmental benefit but risks harming our economy? Will she tell us how it hurts future generations of Canadians?

Speaker, the Liberals in this Legislature could not be more out of touch with the struggles of everyday Ontario business owners. Despite estimates showing that every Ontario business is owed between $2,600 and nearly $7,000, the Liberals in this Legislature think they’re “better off” with this carbon tax. And when their leader was asked if she would stand up for Ontario businesses to her federal counterparts, she said she was not going to “tell the federal government how to do their job.” That’s not what Ontarians expect from their elected officials.

It’s clear that the Ontario Liberals won’t stand up for Ontarians.

So, through you, Mr. Speaker, to the associate minister: How is our government standing up for the job creators and the small businesses affected by this regressive carbon tax?

My question is for the Minister of Energy. The Liberal carbon tax is punishing Ontario families. Last year, the federal government decided to exempt one form of home heating fuel, mainly used in Atlantic Canada, from the carbon tax. But they’re hiking the carbon tax on lower-emission natural gas here in Ontario, where the majority of residents now have to pay more to heat their homes. That’s just not right. Residents in my riding of Thornhill tell me they already feel the impact of the carbon tax on their energy bills.

The people of Ontario deserve to be treated fairly. The federal Liberals need to get rid of this carbon tax right now.

Can the minister please explain how they are making home heating and more things expensive and impacting Ontarians?

This is exactly what our government spoke up about—the carbon tax—what we fought tooth and nail. It’s ludicrous that the Liberals think it’s a good idea to raise the carbon tax by a staggering 23% when Ontario families are already struggling with the increased cost of living.

But this is most concerning. This gets so much worse. The federal government and opposition parties want to nearly triple the tax by 2030. That’s simply not acceptable. Can the minister please explain why Ontarians cannot afford the continued tax increase on groceries, transportation and everything else in between?

My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. There are plenty of countries around this world who have proven you can take climate change seriously without an inflationary carbon tax. Unfortunately, Trudeau’s Liberal government has chosen to implement a carbon tax that punishes the hard-working people of this province by driving up prices across the board. You don’t fight climate change by taxing citizens until they can’t afford to heat their homes, drive their cars and put food on their tables. Just look south of they border, where politicians of all political stripes are vehemently against the idea of a carbon tax.

Speaker, can the minister please highlight how, since we took office, we’ve strengthened our trade relationships with the US, who doesn’t have a carbon tax?

The federal Liberal government always touts how well the US is doing on climate change, but what they don’t mention is that the US does not have a carbon tax that raises the cost of everything.

The Trudeau Liberals continue to hike their carbon tax. All the while, their friend Bonnie Crombie says nothing. If the Liberals listened to the businesses and workers of this province, they would understand that no one supports their carbon tax. In 2019, they told everyone the carbon tax wouldn’t increase, but it’s now costing people an extra 18 cents a litre at the pump while it drives up the prices of everything.

Speaker, we know where the US stands on carbon tax, but can the minister talk about what Ontario’s other trading partners think about the Liberals’ carbon tax?

My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. From coast to coast, elected officials of all political stripes have been very vocal in calling on our federal government to stop the planned carbon tax hike on April 1. Even the Liberal Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador has come out against the 23% carbon tax hike. And yet, Bonnie Crombie and the Liberals in this House still stand shoulder to shoulder with their federal counterparts in support of the carbon tax.

Unlike them, we’ve knocked on doors. We’ve heard loud and clear from the people of Ontario: They do not support another carbon tax hike. Speaker, can the minister please share what he’s been hearing from businesses and workers when it comes to the Liberals’ planned carbon tax hike?

The message we are hearing from the people of Ontario is loud and clear. It doesn’t matter if it is the minister’s constituents in Nipissing or my constituents in Thornhill; we all want the carbon tax gone. We hear their concerns and that’s why we’ve been so persistent in calling on the federal government to stop their planned carbon tax increase on April 1.

We know what happens when Liberals implement tax hike after tax hike, because the previous Liberal government tested out this same playbook. Speaker, can the minister please remind us of how the previous Liberal government’s agenda of high taxes played out?

My question is to the Minister of Transportation.

At a time when costs continue to rise, the federal government has increased the carbon tax five times. Since the implementation of this punitive tax, the people of Ontario have been paying more and more every single day for food, for services and for transportation. Even worse, the federal Liberals are planning an additional seven increases by 2030.

So the carbon tax is making life more expensive for everyone, including the trucking industry, which plays a critical role in transporting the goods we need in our daily lives. Speaker, can the minister please further explain the impact of the federal carbon tax on Ontario’s trucking industry?

It’s the hard-working men and women in our trucking industry who deliver the goods that keep Ontario moving. But, Speaker, the impact of the carbon tax on the trucking industry ultimately affects all families and businesses in every corner of our province. The cost to fuel the trucks to transport the goods is passed on to consumers as they purchase the daily necessities.

Unfortunately, the Liberal members are ignoring their constituents’ concerns about the rising cost of living. Our government must continue to stand behind the people of this province and call on our federal counterparts to do the same.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how the carbon tax impacts the trucking industry and all Ontarians?

My question is for the Minister of Finance. When meeting with local businesses in my riding of Thornhill, they consistently tell me about how the federal carbon tax is so detrimental to our local economy and making their businesses more expensive to operate.

Our government is very clear that local businesses are essential and serve a vital role in driving our province’s economic prosperity. Local businesses in all communities need to feel supported, not penalized. It’s not fair or right that our businesses are being punished because of this regressive tax forced on them by the federal Liberal government. Can the minister please explain how a carbon tax negatively impacts our local businesses?

When it comes to the negative impact of the carbon tax, everyone shares the same message of concern. From the governor of the Bank of Canada to the parliamentary budget officers, academics, economists, business leaders and even Premiers of all political stripes agree that the carbon tax is making life more challenging and unaffordable for everyone. The carbon tax is also increasing prices and is creating unfavourable conditions that weaken our competitive economic advantage. Local businesses are struggling and this regressive tax is only making their work more difficult.

During this time of economic uncertainty and affordability concerns, Ontarians should not be taxed more. Can the parliamentary assistant please explain how our government is supporting Ontario businesses and families?

Thank you to the minister for his response and his solid work on a world-scale basis for the people in the province of Ontario. It’s great to hear about the success of our government’s regional development program.

Before we took office Ontario’s manufacturing capacity had diminished. The NDP-Liberal agenda of high taxes and unnecessary red tape pushed manufacturers out of our province and into foreign jurisdictions. As a result, our economy stagnated and we were beholden to other countries to manufacture the goods and supplies that Ontarians needed.

Now they want to try their failed experiment all over again with the ever-increased federal carbon tax. Unlike the opposition, our government must support and protect our manufacturing sector, which is it vital to our province’s economic prosperity.

Can the minister please describe how our government’s actions continue to strengthen Ontario’s manufacturing sector?

My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

The federal carbon tax is hurting businesses across this province. It’s significantly harmful to small and medium-sized businesses, which are crucial sources of employment for our regional communities.

When the federal government hikes energy costs with their carbon tax, it hurts these small businesses—their bottom lines. Unfortunately, this has meant that many small businesses and businesses have been left with the difficult choice of scaling back production, laying off employees, or closing their doors altogether. Sadly, the federal government, along with the independent Liberals and opposition NDP, do not care.

Can the minister please explain how, unlike the NDP and Liberals, who want to penalize businesses, our government is providing support for them?

My question is for the Minister of Transportation.

Since the federal government imposed the carbon tax, the people of Ontario have been paying more for everything.

Speaker, people in my community tell me that every time they go to the grocery store to buy food, they find it challenging to keep up with the rising costs.

The reality is that the carbon tax is making life unaffordable for everyone. It’s unfair that many individuals and families across this province continue to struggle to buy the necessities for daily living.

Can the minister please explain how the carbon tax negatively affects the hard-working people of Ontario?

Speaker, the federal government has increased the carbon tax on gasoline five times so far, and they are planning another seven increases by the year 2030.

Grocery prices are already unaffordable for too many people, as are the costs for other products and services.

Simply put, the carbon tax is wrong and unfair and makes life harder for everyone. The carbon tax adversely affects our businesses and negatively impacts our economy and Ontario workers. Further increases to the carbon tax will only make the situation worse.

Can the minister please elaborate on how the carbon tax makes life unaffordable for all Ontarians?

My question is for the Minister of Finance.

The governor of the Bank of Canada now says that the correct impact of the carbon tax on the inflation rate is actually four times higher and far more significant than his previous estimates. In my conversations with constituents, they tell me about the unnecessary harm that the carbon tax is creating, and they have asked me to continue raising their concerns about the negative impact of the federal government’s regressive tax. Across this province, many households are struggling to make ends meet, and businesses continue to face economic uncertainty due to the ongoing global supply chain challenges.

Speaker, can the minister please explain the impact of the carbon tax on the people of Ontario?

The Prime Minister needs to step up and do the right thing and eliminate the carbon tax, because Ontarians are suffering. As the finance minister so eloquently put it, everyone everywhere is fully aware that the carbon tax is hurting our economy and driving up prices. Speaker, we know that the carbon tax is not only affecting the price of energy and gas, but also the price of food and housing and so much more. The people of Ontario are looking for financial relief. But the reality is that the federal government is not willing to do the act, and neither are all the members of this House.

Speaker, can the minister please advise how our government is providing support to the people of Ontario during this economically challenging time?

My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Residents in my riding want to protect the environment, but they feel that a carbon tax is the wrong approach. People tell me all the time that the carbon tax is making life more expensive and is doing nothing to reduce emissions. The United States and Mexico do not have a carbon tax, yet people here in Canada are struggling because of the hardship this tax creates. Ontario is already a leader when it comes to protecting our environment. The carbon tax does nothing to protect our environment. It only makes life more expensive.

Can the minister please explain what actions our government is taking to lower emissions and protect our environment?

From the minister’s response, it’s clear that Ontario is well positioned to take the lead in the EV manufacturing sector. The minister is correct: People want real solutions. The carbon tax is not a solution, it’s just another tax. It’s a tax on your home heating. It’s a tax on the gas you need for your car and it’s a tax on the food you buy. The carbon tax isn’t a plan to protect the environment. It’s just a tax.

Can the minister please elaborate on the actions our government is taking to reduce emissions?

My question is to the Associate Minister of Small Business.

Small businesses contribute significantly to Ontario’s economy; however, the carbon tax is making it more difficult for many small businesses to survive. That’s why it was so shocking to hear last Thursday that the member from Kanata–Carleton rose in this House to defend the federal carbon tax. The member claimed that the vast majority—the vast majority—of households in Ontario are better off with a price on carbon.

Speaker, the reality is that no one is better off because of the carbon tax. With over 6,000 retail trade employees working in Kanata–Carleton alone, many of these businesses and their workers feel this regressive carbon tax is negatively impacting them.

Can the associate minister please explain how the carbon tax impacts small businesses across Ontario?

Our government must continue to respect the importance of small businesses. We know that the carbon tax is harmful to their success. Cutting the carbon tax has been one of our top priorities, since day one, in order for our small businesses to grow and thrive.

As our government works to make life more affordable for Ontarians, it’s concerning that the member from Kanata–Carleton is not supporting the small businesses in her riding.

Can the associate minister please elaborate on how our government continues to support small businesses in Ontario by fighting the federal carbon tax?

My question is for the Minister of Finance. The carbon tax hurts our economy and raises the price on everything, from filling up our cars to heating our homes in the winter. Putting a carbon tax that raises the price of gasoline hurts our businesses and negatively impacts our economy. It hurts our farmers, entrepreneurs, businesses, families and individuals.

A month ago, the Bank of Canada reported that the federal carbon tax was responsible for a mere 0.15% increase in inflation, but now the figures have changed. The governor of the Bank of Canada now says that the correct impact of the carbon tax is actually four times higher.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how this regressive tax creates economic hardship for all Ontarians?

The last thing that Ontarians need is another tax. Unfortunately, the carbon tax is just that. It’s another tax that essential drives up the prices of everything. We know that the carbon tax is doing nothing more than making life more expensive for people in our province and across this country. We need all members of the Legislature to fight for Ontario’s interests and call on the federal government to treat Ontario with respect when it comes to providing an exemption for the carbon tax.

Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant please elaborate on how the federal government’s carbon pricing policy negatively impacts all Ontarians?

Thank you to the minister for being such a progressive advocate for the small businesses and entrepreneurs in Ontario.

This regressive carbon tax hurts the very people that any government should be helping. The carbon tax hurts the farmers who grow the food, the truckers who move the food, the restaurants who serve the food and the consumers who buy the food. Even worse, it is Ontario entrepreneurs and our small businesses that are forced to shoulder increased costs because of this regressive tax and rising interest rates.

At a time when concern for economic security and cost of living is so high, the last thing Ontarians need is higher taxes. Speaker, can the minister please explain why removing harmful taxes like the carbon tax is so vital to helping support our small businesses?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business. As a small business owner herself, the minister knows personally that starting and operating a business takes immense effort. Entrepreneurs are constantly balancing costs, and any additional burden can have a massive impact.

Sadly, the businesses in my riding are telling me that they are facing unprecedented economic challenges due to the carbon tax and high interest rates. While the independent Liberals and opposition NDP are willing to support this regressive carbon tax, our government believes that penalizing businesses in this way is unacceptable.

Can the minister please explain why the negative effects of the carbon tax on small businesses in Ontario are having such a negative impact on the people?