Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I believe that the people of Ontario deserve to hear the full truth about how our government’s tax reforms will impact families and businesses.

That’s why I have already met with 11 community, ratepayers and business groups in my riding to discuss Ontario’s tax reform package.

Mr. Speaker, more than a thousand Mississauga South constituents have taken advantage of these public meetings to participate in open discussions and to present their views.

They also give me the opportunity to dispel some of the myths and fictions about the HST that have been circulating.

Our tax reform package, which includes harmonizing our sales tax, $10.6 billion in income tax cuts and $4.5 billion in business tax cuts, will result in a $3.4 billion decrease in provincial revenues.

Hardly a “tax grab”!

I’ve also shared with them independent reports, like the one from TD Economics, which predicts that, because of the business cost savings resulting from the HST, consumer prices in Ontario will increase a modest 0.7%.

At the same time, Jack Mintz’s report estimates that the increased economic activity resulting from Ontario’s tax reforms will cause annual incomes of Ontario workers to increase by up to 8.8%.

Mr. Speaker, experts agree that harmonizing the inefficient provincial sales tax with the federal GST is the single most important thing we can do to stimulate our economy.

Jack Mintz’s report predicts that Ontario’s tax reform package will help to create nearly 600,000 net new jobs for Ontarians and increase capital investment of $47 billion.

I will continue to meet with the residents and businesses in my riding to discuss and answer questions about our tax reforms.

And I encourage all members, from both sides of the house, to do the same and to tell the whole story about this government’s bold plan to cut taxes and bring 600,000 new jobs to Ontario.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.