It is time to work harder and do things differently

By MPP Toby Barrett

To The Haldimand Press

Having grown up in Woodhouse Township, where many households did not have much, I remember watching families get by with little. This, plus farming Woodhouse soil, taught me the value of a dollar. I also saw these neighbouring families leave the next generation with more than they had.

Today, we see the same hard work – the seven-day work weeks, the long hours. What we don’t see are the same opportunities.

Ontario, up until recent years, has been the economic engine of Canada. We have to bring back that status and ensure it stays that way for our kids and grandkids.

This fall we have been debating Bill 138, our government’s plan to build Ontario together. This is a plan to balance the budget in 2023-24 – a responsible approach to balancing the budget while making strategic investments in public services and infrastructure across Ontario.

Bill 138 is derived from the Fall Economic Statement and presents measures that will allow businesses to do what they do best – grow our economy and create good-paying jobs. It presents a plan to allow people in Ontario to become the architects of their own future, to keep some of their hard-earned dollars so they can create the lives they want for themselves and their loved ones.