NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

October 1, 2009

Liberals Vote Down Resolution to Cut Red Tape and Regulations

NEWS

Today at Queen's Park, the Liberal majority in the legislature refused to support PC MPP Julia Munro's resolution to fight red tape by re-establishing the Red Tape Commission. Munro is the PC Party critic for Small Business, Consumer Affairs and Red Tape.

Munro's resolution criticized the McGuinty government's failure to help Ontario small businesses by reducing the financial and time burden of government regulation. She called on the government to re-establish the Red Tape Commission (which it abolished in 2004), to reduce both the number of regulations and the time and expense required of Ontario's businesses and citizens in complying with government regulation.

QUOTES

"Red tape and over-regulation are strangling Ontario small businesses. We should be helping business owners do what they do best - create jobs and prosperity - not make them spend so much time and money filling out government forms and meeting government rules."

- Julia Munro, MPP (York-Simcoe)

"The Liberals only give lip-service to cutting red tape and regulations. The McGuinty Liberal promise last March to cut regulations by 25% over two years is an empty shell. So far, they have taken no action to cut regulations." 

- Julia Munro, MPP (York-Simcoe)

QUICK FACTS

• The Liberal government promised in March 2009 to cut the number of government regulations by 25% over two years (part of their so-called "Open for Business" strategy - So far, they have done nothing to meet this goal
• Canadian Federation of Independent Business in 2007 identified the burden of government regulation as a priority for business of 67%, second only to the total tax burden at 78%.
• Under the 1995-2003 PC government, the Red Tape Commission removed over 2,000 outdated and unnecessary regulations
• The Liberal government abolished the Red Tape Commission in 2004

Contact:

Julia Munro, MPP

(416) 325-3392