Thank you for the question, to the member opposite.

Through you, Mr. Speaker: The number that she’s putting forward, of course, is a hypothetical number that you can only get to—get this—if you raise taxes and raise fees. Which side of the House wants to raise taxes and fees? I would submit that it’s that side of the House and that side of the House, except for the middle here. This side of the House wants to cut fees and cut taxes for the people of Ontario and the businesses of Ontario.

As we saw last week, we had a number of businesses say that this was a good thing. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said, “Speeding up the process to allow more Ontario small retailers to sell beer and wine is a very positive move for entrepreneurs and consumers.”

What does the member opposite have against—

And where is this money going? Through this Minister of Health and the whole team on this side, this money is going to build more hospitals and acute-care beds across the province. Fundamentally, also, this Minister of Health led the charge to increase the funding for primary care—$600 million—so that there are more patients being taken care of.

But she didn’t stop there. Do you know what she did? She put in a request, and we’re funding $2 billion more for home and community care so we can take good care of people at home.

That’s what we’re doing for the people.

Let’s continue to look at some of the support here from the Ontario Craft Brewers: “These changes are critical to the success of the new system so craft beer operators have a chance to compete and thrive in Ontario.”

The Grape Growers of Ontario: They want to expand their grape growing in Ontario.

The Convenience Industry Council of Canada: They want to increase the ability to sell beer and wine across the province.

One concept that I think the member opposite can’t seem to handle is that we can be fiscally responsible and grow the economy at the same time. This party is getting it done.

Thank you to the member opposite for that question. You know, I don’t know what the member opposite has against consumer choice and more consumer convenience. I don’t know. But I’m sure the member opposite—because he’s a very studious fellow and a learned fellow; he follows current events—knows that there’s a lot of auto theft in this province. This government is the one combatting auto theft. In fact, he failed to mention that the budget includes four helicopters to be purchased by the OPP to be able to do their jobs. We’re going to give more tools to our enforcement officers across this province so they can combat crime and go after the bad guys.

But listen, let’s lock arms and let’s go down to Ottawa and ask the federal government to help us at the ports, where those cars go in and get shipped off to other countries and other parts, which is driving the cost of insurance up.

Thank you to the member opposite, with one of the best-named ridings, Peterborough. Thank you very much for that question.

As I said in my previous answer to the other question, the independent Liberals never found a tax they didn’t love. In fact, just last week, their party refused to support the great member from Simcoe–Grey’s motion to eliminate the carbon tax and make goods more affordable across the province.

Mr. Speaker, the Bank of Canada has said the carbon tax drives up inflation, and even some in the NDP have finally abandoned it. And yet, somehow these Liberals continue to support this regressive and punitive tax.

Instead, our government is the one standing up for hard-working Ontarians day in and day out.

The independent Liberals are following the lead of their federal counterparts and playing politics with the people of Ontario. This is the party whose interim leader called our gas tax cut a relief measure. And yet, later, guess what happened when the camera wasn’t on? He voted against extending the tax cut and voted against bringing down the price of fuel for Ontario families and businesses. And this is the party whose new leader refused to say that she was against the carbon tax and refused to commit to supporting fewer taxes for the people of Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, it’s time for these independent Liberals to decide if they are for the people of Ontario or if they are for an expensive and tax-loving federal government.

Thank you to the member opposite for the opportunity to answer this question.

Mr. Speaker, who is against promoting Ontario? Anyone in this House? It seems like the Liberals are. Well, maybe they would promote the fact that they drove 300,000 jobs out of this province. This government has supported the conditions so that 700,000 new jobs were created in this province. That’s the party that hasn’t seen a tax or a fee that they didn’t want to increase. It’s this government that’s got the backs of business and people and workers in this province. We’re reducing the cost of everything, including cutting gas taxes, reducing fees, making it easier, tuition freezes etc., so that the people of this province can have the best province in all of North America and, may I say, the whole world.