I’ve got a question for the Minister of Finance. When I meet with businesses and residents in my riding, I constantly hear how the federal carbon tax is putting pressure on the local economy and making businesses far more expensive to run. That’s why I find it so disappointing that the federal government continues to play politics and not eliminate the carbon tax; in fact, they’re going to increase it in just a month or so.

At this time, families, individuals and local businesses in all communities across Ontario need to feel supported by their governments and not penalized. This government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, recognizes that the carbon tax is unfair to hard-working Ontarians, especially those in rural Ontario, and that’s why we continue to advocate for every one of them.

Can the minister please explain how the federal carbon tax is hurting the people of Ontario?

Thank you to the minister for his response. We’ve heard the experts; we’ve heard from other governments, and we’ve heard from the people of Ontario: The carbon tax harms families. It harms businesses. It harms everyone across this province. With the Bank of Canada’s high interest rates and the cost of living so high, it has never been more important for governments to try to keep costs down for people and businesses.

Our government has been very clear: We’re working to put more money back into the pockets of the people of this province. That’s why it’s perplexing that the independent Liberals have failed to once again stand up with us against a tax that’s driving up prices and making life more expensive for their constituents.

Through you, Speaker: Can the minister please explain why we need to fight the carbon tax to provide support to the people of Ontario and the businesses in Ontario?

I like to say that I’m in the productive middle and there are the fringe corners on either side of this side—because our government is so big that we span that entire side as well as a large chunk of this side of the House.

There are so many things that are in this red tape reduction bill that are going to help so many different businesses. I’ll touch on two of them.

If you’re doing jury duty, for example—if you get called to that, not having to waste your time filling out paper forms for it, being able to go on and do it electronically at your ease, at your comfort, is one of those things. It doesn’t sound like it’s a big deal, but all of those small things start to add up.

On the agriculture side: Our Grow Ontario Strategy is something that’s not only going to help agriculture, it’s not only going to help husbandry and livestock, but everyone who consumes all of those. There’s an expression in Ontario that one in eight work in agriculture, but I can guarantee you, eight out of every eight people eat what comes from agriculture.

The NDP can virtue-signal all they’d like. They can throw out all kinds of different things to distract from the great work that we’re doing.

This is one of those bills that will make a positive difference for the people of Ontario. This is one of those bills that will reduce the cost of doing business, which will reduce the cost to every single person in this province. This is one of those things that’s a good-news story.

I’m sorry that the NDP doesn’t want to talk about the good things that this government is doing for the people of this province.

Interjections.