My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business. Ontario’s manufacturing and automotive sectors are vital components of our economy, contributing significantly to our provincial GDP. Not only are we home to the next mega-factories, but also to many small businesses in the automotive and production sectors that form the bedrock of our economy. These businesses provide well-paying jobs for tens of thousands of workers and drive innovation across the entire supply chain.

But the prosperity of these essential industries is being threatened by the Liberal carbon tax. This regressive tax is driving up costs for manufacturers and jeopardizing their businesses.

Speaker, through you, can the minister shed light on the detrimental impacts this short-sighted tax is having on small businesses in the automotive and manufacturing industries?

From Windsor to Ottawa, Kiiwetinoong to Leamington and all points in between, the federal carbon tax is poised to inflict damage on an industry that is the pride of our province. The people of Ontario deserve better. That is why we won’t stop calling on the federal Liberals to eliminate this disastrous tax.

Can the minister elaborate further on how our government will continue championing Ontario’s automotive businesses and their highly skilled workforce against the threat posed by this short-sighted Liberal tax scheme?