Jan 24, 2009 04:30 AM
HAVELOCK, Ont.–Ontario will take a "long, hard look" at harmonizing its provincial sales tax with the federal goods and services tax, Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday, hinting that Ottawa could help seal the deal if it provides support.
"I just think we need to give a rethink now in a number of areas that we've rejected in the past," McGuinty said after touring a new ethanol plant in Havelock, near Peterborough.
Business groups, the federal Conservatives and even McGuinty's task force on competitiveness have long pushed Ontario to consider merging the two taxes, but the province has repeatedly shot down the idea.
The McGuinty Liberals maintain the move would reduce provincial revenues and increase the cost of some household products like heating oil and children's clothing, which are not subject to the provincial tax.
Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland got financial help from Ottawa when they made the move to tax harmonization, McGuinty pointed out.
The McGuinty is in fine Ontario Government tradition of shafting the public. We have the monopoly beer stores "raising prices" to "prevent abuse", now he proposes to "harmonize taxes", Harmony? Now, its just an opportunity to raise more taxes. Remember when they brought in Child Support Guidlines? It gave the government billions by deducting "after tax" child support payments from mothers on social assistance who still demand to litigate custody on behalf of mothers. Note that Child support is often more "spousal support" even when the mother earns many times the income of the father who was often the full time dad until a dead beat judge severed the child's relationship with the father with a "Power order or Sheffield order". See the roscoe research at the ottawa mens centre
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/576581