As I travel the province I hear time and time again from seniors and retirees who are concerned about Dalton McGuinty’s plan to merge the PST and GST, into a single $3 billion HST tax grab.

If the HST comes in to effect on July 1, 2010, an additional 8 per cent tax will be applied to a whole new range of goods and services previously not taxed in Ontario.

Seniors on fixed incomes will be forced to pay more for essentials such as hydro, home heating fuel, natural gas, haircuts, gasoline, home repairs, funerals, lawn maintenance and snow removal.

Seniors’ housing costs will also be adversely affected by the HST which will result in higher rent, condo fees, nursing home costs, and service prices at residential care facilities.

Seniors and retirees who have prudently invested in mutual funds will see the cost of their mutual fund fees shoot up. Insurance premiums, lawyer and estate planning fees will also increase in price.

And because of the HST, it will become more expensive for seniors to lead active and healthy lives with increased prices for golf green fees, driving range fees, skiing, curling, bicycles and bicycle safety equipment, gym memberships and even vitamins.

Ontario seniors already have to work hard enough to manage household expenses, balance their cheque book and pay the bills. They deserve better than to be stuck paying higher taxes to pay off Dalton McGuinty’s $25 billion dollar deficit.

Last week, the McGuinty Government introduced legislation to rush through the HST without any consultation or debate. If he gets his way, there will be no opportunity for seniors – or anybody else in Niagara and Hamilton – to read the details of this massive tax grab and make their concerns known, before it is quickly becomes law.

This $3 billion dollar tax grab is the largest sales increase in Ontario history without public consultation. We in the Ontario PC Caucus believe this is simply wrong.

That is why the Ontario PC Caucus is pushing for a full series of cross-province public hearings into the HST and will continue to use every tool at our disposal to stand up for the seniors and families who have the most to lose from this massive new tax.
That is why we are asking seniors and their families to join us in the fight to stop the DST by signing a petition available on our website at www.daltonsalestax.com, by calling my constituency office at 1-800-665-3697 or visiting in person at 4961 King Street East, Unit M1 in Beamsville.

Together, let’s do what’s right for Ontario. Let’s stop this tax before it can do any harm, and let’s show Ontario seniors the respect and support they deserve.