Nobody likes taxes. Everyone wants to keep as much of their earned income as possible to serve their personal commitments now and into the future. Libertarian goals reflect this reality.
Under current legislation, all citizens and companies must pay their taxes or face consequences. In return, it is fair and reasonable for taxpayers to expect effective and reliable public services.
FAIR TRADE: It’s Reasonable
Labour disruptions and work slowdown campaigns, however, have interrupted those services many times, usually over contract haggling disputes. The result? -- the Government of Ontario has unable to fulfill its obligations to deliver dependable services to its individual and business taxpayers. What’s more, none of the perpetrators have ever suffered any consequences for these disruptions. In fact, they usually emerge from labour contract “negotiations” better off than before they began.
To restore fairness in the arrangements between the taxpayers of Ontario and the public servants who provide public services, the Ontario Libertarian Party will:
- Enact Fair Trade legislation to classify all tax-funded public servants as Essential Workers. As such, they will be held personally liable for any actions they undertake to degrade or impede the delivery of tax-funded services to the citizens of Ontario. This will apply, but not be limited, to all members of public sector unions and their leaders.
- Repeal all Labour legislation that makes public sector union membership a condition of employment. Freedom of Association is an essential provision in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and must be protected for all government workers.
- Grandfather the current retirement pension plans for existing government employees and offer the same RRSP and TFSA retirement options to all future personnel hired in the government sector that are available for the rest of Ontario’s workers. Fair is fair!
SENSIBLE TAXATION
The cost of living is rising -- government tax policies and ‘red tape’ have had a lot to do with this. Our political leaders have failed us. While they increased their regulatory powers and our public debt, they sacrificed the medical, social, financial and mental health of too many of our citizens.
The Freedom of Choice Opt-In:Opt-Out Formula will reverse this! It will place pressure on the government sector to decrease in size, cost and scope of responsibilities/regulations because this is the only way that government service providers will be able to successfully compete for customers. Inevitably, large planning bureaucracies will be replaced by smaller, leaner and regional Customer Services offices that serve local communities. Performance will be of utmost importance if the employees of those offices wish to hold their market share and jobs.
The Ontario Libertarian Party will also:
- End all mandatory programs related to the threat of global warming from man-made greenhouse gas emissions. We do, however, respect every citizens’ decision to freely give of their personal time, effort and money to causes of their choice.
- Create a sensible plan to pay down the provincial debt. This will apply to every citizen for whom past debts were incurred prior to the start of the Opt-In:Opt-Out Formula.
- Repeal all legislation pertaining to Carbon Tax or Carbon pricing schemes. We will also not pay or collect on behalf of the federal plan.
- Respect the “common good” as it relates to the natural resources upon which we all depend. We will defend and protect the things most important for human flourishing: clean Water and Air, and Lands free from contamination.
- Attract businesses and jobs to Ontario. By eliminating corporate taxes and shredding all productivity-destroying red tape, prosperity will rise with all the new jobs these measures will create.
- End Corporate welfare – no more grants or contributions to Corporations or entities.
- Make insurance with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) optional. Revise provincial legislation to enable viable competitors to enter the market.
