Ontario Tories, joined by several NDP members, secured the passage in Second Reading of MPP John Yakabuski’s Gasoline Tax Fairness for All Act. MPP Jim McDonell was pleased to see the bill passed, considering the Liberals’ opposition.
“Rural Ontarians pay the same gas tax as their urban counterparts and receive none of it back," said McDonell. "Rural infrastructure provides us with less choice in our means of transportation and we must use cars, yet we subsidize cities with established transit systems. It is time all rural municipalities received a share of the gas tax, which they can then invest for the benefit of their residents”.
The last attempt to pass this Bill was defeated on April 5, last year due to numerous members of the Liberal caucus voting against it, including Grant Crack (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell).
“The Liberals have not seen their error, or they would have endorsed this Bill," said McDonell. "They are completely out of touch with rural municipalities, their residents and their needs. They want the Liberal Government to return them the tax money that is rightfully theirs. The Bill was referred to the Committee which I sit on and where the PCs and NDP hold a majority of votes, and I will fight to have it examined and sent to the House for Third Reading.”
