- MEDIA RELEASE -
- for immediate release -

 

Freedom Party of Ontario

 

 

Attn: Newsroom


Wedgie Implemented, What Have You Left to Offer Ontario, Mr. Eves?

OSHAWA, June 26, 2003 - With the passing into law of another ration of an education tax credit, and an age-discriminatory property tax cut for seniors, the most headline-grabbing "wedge issue" aspects of the Road Ahead platform have already been implemented. Freedom Party of Ontario Leader, Paul McKeever asks: "Why should anyone vote for Mr. Eves' party now?".

"Years of experience have taught the red-tory old-boy nothing. Someone ought to have told the Premier that, if he was going to try his hand at good-old-fashioned voter bribing, he was supposed to get the vote first, and give the reward later...or, if he was more comfortable with it, simply break the promise and blame 9-11", Mr. McKeever says, in jest. "But seriously, this is no laughing matter. The alleged "tax-cut" for seniors is not a tax cut at all: when you give a tax cut only to some people, without cutting spending to those people, that's a subsidy, not a tax cut. This is a "subsidy" to seniors, not a tax cut."

"The same sort of double-speak applies with the education tax credit", says Mr. McKeever. "On November 16, 2001, the Globe and Mail quoted Mr. Eves as saying that the education tax credit should be 'available only to parents whose children are in schools that teach the curriculum set out by the Ministry of Education'. The red-tory plan - like the Liberal plan - is actually choice in schools, without choice in education. It is no secret that the Progressive Conservative party is divided on this issue: the 60% red-tories, who set the agenda, want to control curriculum if there are going to be tax credits at all. The other 40% are biting their tongues. But I don't doubt for a second that a Progressive Conservative government, after the election, would impose curriculum requirements on schools that qualify for the tax credit" warns Mr. McKeever.

"Now, with these wedgies firmly in place," adds Mr. McKeever, "we can get back down to observing the real Ernie Eves team, characterized as it is by jarring changes of policy direction".

"Ontario doesn't need another liberal party", says Mr. McKeever. "We cannot afford to turn our backs on years of government that does what it says it's going to do, and that consistently does the right thing in a well planned fashion. I will do what I've said Freedom Party will do. Mark my words. But, more than that, I would ask all sidelined blue-Tory MPPs to join my team."


Paul McKeever (who will be running in the riding of Oshawa, against Sid Ryan and Jerry Ouellette) is available to discuss this matter today. You can contact him directly at ***-***-**** (cell).

Freedom Party is expected to run candidates in approximately half of Ontario's ridings in the coming election.

 

For further information: Paul McKeever, Leader, Freedom Party of Ontario.
Oshawa Office Telephone: 905-721-9772.
e-mail

Freedom Party of Ontario
Box 2214, London, Ontario N6A 4E3
1-(800)-830-3301 / (519) 681-3999
FAX: (519) 681-2857

freedomparty.on.ca
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