Thank you, Speaker, and again to the member for the question. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, if rebates were returned to all eligible incorporated Ontario businesses, each would see around $2,637 for the past five years. When considering the hardships many small firms have endured already, every dollar returned could make a vital difference, whether to cover bills, hire staff or invest in growth.

What’s worse is the provincial Liberals and NDP failed. They failed to stand up to their federal cousins as they announced they’d be slashing rebates to small businesses from 9% to 5%, which means they’re only going to get less than half back.

Speaker, unlike Carbon Crombie and the Liberals and the NDP, this Premier and this government will keep fighting until Ottawa scraps the tax because small businesses can count on us to have their backs.