Manage this: Breaking campaign promises and violating the Taxpayer Protection Act

Toronto: Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Ontario Director, John Williamson, reacted today to Ontario's Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, issued by Finance Minister Janet Ecker.

Minister Ecker announced that the performance of the Ontario economy is exceeding all expectations. But despite this good news, she ruled out restoring the province's legislated tax relief schedule to January 1, 2003. In the June budget, the government postponed a promise to cut taxes.

In that budget - Minister Ecker's first - the government said it was:
 

• Delaying the personal and corporate income tax reductions promised by the Progressive Conservative party in the 1999 election campaign;
   
• Freezing the education tax credit; and
   
• Flouting the Taxpayer Protection Act, a law that was passed with bipartisan support by thelegislature in 1999 prohibiting governments from raising most taxes and deferringscheduled tax cuts without first holding a province-wide referendum.

"Today's announcement was the last chance for the Tories to restore the tax cut schedule the people of Ontario elected them to enact in the 1999 provincial election," Mr. Williamson said. "Instead, they have abandoned this key campaign promise. Thank you Premier Ernie Eves and Finance Minister Janet Ecker. Not only have you broken your word on taxes and the Taxpayer Protection Act, but you have squandered your credibility on taxes and done what Mike Harris never did: Break a promise made to the people of Ontario."

In the 1995 provincial election, 129 out of 130 Tory candidates - including Premier Ernie Eves and Minister Ecker - signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, an initiative spearheaded by the CTF to hold politicians accountable. Within the current PC caucus, 47 members signed this pledge in 1995. "We were told that the TPA was inviolable and was the government's guarantee that no one - now or in the future - could raise taxes or delay scheduled tax cuts without the consent of voters," said Williamson. "Continuing to delay legislated tax reductions is a breach of trust and a sell-out of principles."

"The economy is strong, but the Ontario government is telling people that it is not strong enough for them to keep the number one promise they made in the 1999 provincial election. Who is really going to believe them the next time they promise lower taxes People will rightly wonder: Do they mean it this time or are they only trying to win my vote," Williamson concluded.