Despite Tony's best efforts, HST is a go

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN, MP

***************************** OTTAWA - (March 10) - Sault MP Tony Martin introduced in Parliament today, three riding petitions against the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) coming this July after attending outside a largely Aboriginal Peoples’ protest against the tax that violates treaty rights and will raise taxes on many goods and services.

All this came a day after Conservative and Liberal MPs defeated the NDP budget amendment that would have stopped the federal government’s support for the introduction of the HST in Ontario and British Columbia.

The NDP was the only federal political party to oppose the HST and believed that an 8 percent sales tax increase on essential items ranging from gas to hydro and funerals amounted to little more than an attack on families during an economic crisis.

“We have fought the good fight here in Parliament to stop this tax,” Tony Martin said. ”Voters can render their verdict, remembering that while the tax is being introduced by a provincial Liberal government, it is being done on the recommendation and with the financial support of the federal Conservative government of Stephen Harper, and with the legislative support of the federal Liberal opposition led by Michael Ignatieff.”

After the House of Commons vote, New Democrat John Rafferty (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) said: “New Democrats at all levels of government opposed this sales tax increase on principle. We were consistent and fought hard, but in the end the Conservatives and Liberals will get their way and our families are going to start to feel the pain on July 1.”

Noting the worst recession in Ontario since the 1930s, the petitions from Sault Algoma residents urged Members of Parliament to withdraw the federal $4.3 incentive payment to the Government of Ontario to implement the HST in Ontario.

At the rally, many Aboriginal spokespersons said the HST is a direct attack on treaty rights and will take away First Nations right to point of sale tax exemption.

The new 13 percent HST will eliminate the First Nations exemption on the 8 percent Provincial Sales Tax.

***************************** Pictured: Tony Martin with Batchewana First Nation Chief Dean Sayers in Ottawa at the anti-HST rally.