05 January 2012
Welcome, 2012!
MPP Paul Miller's New Year's Greeting for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek

HAMILTON—A very Happy New Year to each of you; may 2012 bring you health, happiness and prosperity.

It was good to finish 2011 on a positive note. Two Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF) projects, the Westmount Recreation Centre and the Lower Stoney Creek Recreation Centre were at risk of losing provincial and federal funding. In support of a letter from Mayor Brattina to request the extension of the Provincial portion of this joint stimulus funding, my Hamilton NDP colleagues, MPP Andrea Horwath and MPP Monique Taylor and I wrote to the Premier to request its continuation. In a November 22nd letter, the Minister of Infrastructure wrote to us to say that “Ontario will honour its commitment to these projects and will fund the provincial share of project costs...to March 31, 2012.” Additionally he said, “I have called on my federal colleagues...to agree to reimburse the federal share of costs until March 31, 2012.”

We hope to continue the good news but are concerned because the Liberal Government has refused to agree with the other Parties on striking the Standing Committees of the Legislature. These committees are made up of MPPs from all three parties and should be representative of the outcome of the last election. In this current situation it would mean that the Liberals would not have a majority membership on these Committees. The electorate sent a minority government to Queen’s Park and all bodies that do the work of the Legislature should reflect the will of the people. The Liberals are the ones stalling on striking these committees fairly, as they are working from a majority mentality when they are in a minority government situation.

But back to the positive; during the last election, our Party campaigned against corporate tax cuts. Our proposal would have increased Ontario’s corporate tax rate to be on par with many other jurisdictions, ensuring a fair playing field. This would have put sufficient money into Ontario’s coffers to ensure stability of current programmes and the implementation of many necessary, new programmes, such as rolling back the HST on home heating bills. The Liberal Government is not considering such an increase, however, it appears to be considering a freeze of the rate at its current 11.5%, rather than reducing it to 11%, as previously planned. It’s a small step forward for everyday Ontarians and we will continue to work on achieving even more forward steps – small and large!

Being a minority government will make this a very interesting parliament and I look forward to my new perspective, as the Third Deputy Speaker. I will continue to bring your concerns to the Legislature and address any issues that you have of a Provincial nature, through my Hamilton constituency office.

Again, I wish you all the best of the New Year.

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Media Contact: Paul Miller (416) 325-0707

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