This is a time of great challenge for Ontarians.

I don’t think there is any community, or perhaps even any Ontario family, that has not in some way been hurt by this global recession.

Getting out of this and growing stronger is going to take change.

Doing nothing is not an option. There’s only one option, and that is to move forward.

We need to do what it takes to protect our jobs, create new jobs and make sure there are good jobs for future generations.

We need to do what it takes to build a stronger, more competitive economy that supports a caring society.

To build for the future, we must lay the foundation today.

The McGuinty government has just finished one of our busiest legislative sessions ever, where we worked to lay that foundation.

We’ve passed our Green Energy Act, which will create some 50,000 Green jobs.

We’ve passed our Poverty Reduction Act, which will require governments to take measurable steps to reduce poverty.

And we passed our Budget.

The Budget moves Ontario from an inefficient "two tax" system to a modern,single sales tax.

It will help level the playing field for business by lowering business costs and making manufacturers more competitive.

And it will help businesses grow stronger by cutting business taxes.

This means more money to invest, to hire more Ontarians, and to pass on as savings to customers

Now, for some people, for some items, the price will go up at the cash register.

To help them adjust, we’re exempting items that are especially important to families like children’s clothing, car seats, diapers and books.

Ninety-three percent of Ontarians will get a permanent tax cut, and families will receive a one-time payment of $1,000 to help with the adjustment.

And finally, for our low-income families, we have a new sales tax credit.

The overwhelming majority of our families will come out ahead because of all the tax changes we are making.

On the other hand, our new package of tax reforms costs the Ontario government $2.3 billion over the next four years.

It is not going to be easy, but there really is no easy way out of this global economic crisis.

But these tax reforms are absolutely essential to build a stronger economy that creates more jobs.

That’s why we’re moving forward with these changes now, to build opportunity for all Ontarians, and a better future for our kids.

For more information on what your government is doing to build a stronger future for Ontario, contact my constituency office at (905) 884-8080.

Learn more about McGuinty Government Strengthening Ontario's Economy.

Reza Moridi, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, Dr. Helena Jaczek and Minister Michael Chan at the York Region Economic Forum, April 15, 2009. Minister Duncan introduced the Ontario Budget 2009 in the Forum.

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