Press Release

Liberal Caucus Chair Responds to Premier's Call for Lower Taxes Etobicoke - Roy Cullen, MP Etobicoke North, and Chair of the Federal Liberal Ontario Caucus, today responded to Premier Mike Harris' recent letter to Ontario MPs, in which Premier Harris urged the MPs to lobby for lower taxes. Cullen responded by pointing out that the last two federal budgets have committed to delivering $16. 5 billion in tax relief over the next three years and that over 600, 000 lower income Canadians will be removed from the tax rolls altogether. Cullen writes that "tax relief has been, and is, very much part of our agenda." "I can assure Mr. Harris that he need not spend his time explaining the benefits of tax cuts to our caucus. We have many committed champions of tax cuts within our own ranks. The essential difference between our government and Mr. Harris' approach is that we will not borrow off the backs of our children to finance a tax cut," said Cullen. In his letter, Cullen reiterated the Liberal 1997 election platform that laid out the Federal Liberal approach for building a prosperous society in the new millennium, an approach Mr. Harris supported only a few weeks ago at the Premiers' conference: "In keeping with Canadian values, we offered a balanced approach. We pledged to invest our budgetary surpluses 50:50 - with 50% allocated for tax relief and debt reduction, and 50 % applied to investments to address the key social and economic priorities that will make Canada a more prosperous and productive society in the 21st century." "I find it ironic to be lectured about economic fundamentals by a man who is the Premier of one of the only two provinces that has yet to get their fiscal house in order by balancing their budget" said Cullen. For more further information, please contact: For more information contact: Roy Cullen, M.P. 416-747-6003