Government can do more to support our economy

By MPP Toby Barrett

To The Haldimand Press

Canada’s recent election campaign reinforces the fact that there are people who believe we can tax, spend, and borrow our way to prosperity. There are those who don’t appreciate the unintended consequences of regulation, upon regulation, and tax upon tax. Those whose policy prescriptions put us – as a nation and as a province – at a competitive disadvantage within North America and around the globe.

As a provincial government we appreciate the urgent need to continuously improve our competitiveness and fiscal foundation, so the people of our province and our country can live the lives they have earned and deserve.

But it’s fair to say that this is not a universally held view among many elected representatives and aspiring candidates.

Government can make a difference – and not necessarily in a good way. Case in point would be the destruction locally of our coal-based economic sector, and much of our legal tobacco market. Our area’s steel-making, petrochemical, and agribusiness remains vulnerable to the whims of decision makers at the national and international level.