My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. I’m hearing more and more from my constituents in rural communities that their day-to-day expenses have become increasingly unaffordable since the carbon tax was introduced. The sad reality is, individuals, families and businesses in rural communities are feeling more pressure from the negative impacts of the carbon tax.

Unfortunately, the independent Liberals and opposition NDP continue to ignore the serious consequences the carbon tax is having on real people—people from communities like Comber, Merlin, Highgate, Wheatley, Ridgetown. Can the minister please explain how our government supports rural communities during these challenging economic times?

The previous Liberal government neglected rural communities for 15 years, and their disrespect for rural Ontario continues to this day. It’s astonishing that the independent Liberals and opposition NDP continue to support the federal carbon tax and make fun of it, even when they’re well aware that it’s causing financial hardship for our families and friends. With the cost of everything increasing because of the carbon tax, people are paying more for transportation, groceries, and home heating, of course.

Can the parliamentary assistant please elaborate on how our government is making life truly more affordable for people in rural Ontario?

Thank you to the member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington for the question. It’s an important question, as the members opposite have continued to throw rural communities under the bus.

The previous Ontario Liberals refused to keep hydro bills down and instead allowed hydro bills to consistently rise, to the point where rural Ontarians were having to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.

I want to address the people of rural Ontario. To them I say, don’t worry. Our government is saying yes to rural Ontario. We are keeping energy costs down. We are cutting the gas tax. We are supporting our manufacturing industry. And, yes, we are fighting the carbon tax with everything we have. Our government will continue to build and support rural communities across Ontario.

But Speaker, we are doing something about that. We’ve lowered the gas tax by 10 cents on every litre, and we are ensuring that resources can move across the province so that houses, roads and transit lines will be built. We are building Ontario at a rate that the Liberals simply could never have imagined.