Freedom Party of Ontario leader, Paul McKeever, opposes the Government of Ontario's decision, announced today, to grant $520 million to private businesses involved in setting up new ethanol production plants in Ontario. 

"This decision is wrong, politically-motivated, and economically foolish", says McKeever.

"There is no economically sound case for this decision.  There also is no principled reason to give welfare to publicly traded companies like Suncor, and not to give money to other business ventures.  What's next, an income stabilization fund for lawyers in a solo private practice?", says McKeever, a lawyer in a solo private practice. 

"Ending the tax exemption for ethanol producers is the only good part of this announcement", says McKeever.  "Such an exemption is a disguised form of welfare; one that masks the nature and extent of the welfare by burying it in tax code.  At least with this announcement, we know exactly how much the government is throwing down the sink-hole."

As for PC opposition leader John Tory's criticism that, in effect, the subsidy should be paid but that fuel content requirements should be delayed until the plants are up and running, McKeever adds: "If that is honestly the only thing that Mr. Tory sees wrong with this proposal, he is not qualified to say no to an up-sizing on an order of fries.  Mr. Tory's modus operandi would appear to be to agree with the substance of everything Mr. McGuinty does, but to disagree only with the manner in which it is implemented: we've seen it with everything from the green belt to contracting with doctors.  It's a pathetic way of politicking.  Indeed, it's actually a cowardly election strategy for 2007, and it is a disservice to Ontarians who object, right now, to the Liberal government's agenda.  I think that Mr. Tory is going to realize all too late that Ontarians who want Liberal policies vote Liberal."