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Decentralized Democracy

Hon. Michael Parsa

  • MPP
  • Member of Provincial Parliament
  • Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill
  • Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
  • Ontario
  • Suite 201 13085 Yonge St. Richmond Hill, ON L4E 3S8 Michael.Parsaco@pc.ola.org
  • tel: 905-773-6250
  • fax: 905-773-8158
  • Michael.Parsaco@pc.ola.org

  • Government Page
  • Nov/15/23 11:40:00 a.m.

I thank my honourable colleague for that very important question. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you, with the rising cost of everything now in the province, we know that the people are feeling it, which is why the Minister of Energy clearly mentioned that we need to do better at all levels of government to make sure we get rid of the punishing carbon tax that adds a cost to everything.

I can tell you, as a government, through a $96-million investment that we’re making through the Ontario Trillium Foundation to community partners, including food banks—on top of that, for our students, so that students don’t go hungry, we increased the Student Nutrition Program. We raised the minimum wage. We’re removing tolls from highways. We kept the 10% savings at the gas pump. Mr. Speaker, we are making life more affordable for Ontarians at a time when we know life is more unaffordable. We ask the opposition to support us in this.

The supports will be there for Ontarians who need it, but under the leadership of Premier Ford, the manufacturing jobs—those good-paying jobs that left the province of Ontario—are coming back, thanks to this Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Again, I ask my colleagues across to work with us, to ask the federal government to remove the punishing carbon tax that adds to the cost of everything in this province, and let life be—

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  • Oct/4/23 11:40:00 a.m.

I thank the honourable member for the question. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind the honourable member that it was her and her party that voted against the 5% increase and another 6.5%—the largest increases in ODSP rates in decades in the province. It’s this government and this party that’s fighting to make life more affordable for Ontarians.

But along the way, Mr. Speaker—you have discovered this—all day, all week, the week before, they’re against housing, they’re against long-term care, they’re against schools, and they’re now clearly showing they’re against the people of this province, for us to be able to lift them out of poverty, to make sure that we provide the supports for people who need them. The largest increase in support in social assistance—every single member across voted against it.

But, Mr. Speaker, that’s okay, because Ontarians elected this government, members of this caucus and the majority middle to stand up for every single person in this province, and we won’t let them down.

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