Let's take from the poor and give the tax breaks to the rich! This seems to be the flag that's now flying provincially. Corporations and businesses in general are benefiting from tax breaks and reductions on energy use while individuals working their rear ends off will pay the price. I'm positive that this was not the philosophy Canada was built on. Unfortunately this is the way that HST and Smart Meters are taking us. We are now going to pay an extra 8% on just about everything major in our lives including all utilities and non necessity purchases. Why cut corporate taxes and income tax? It all looks good on paper and is great for businesses but what is going to replace this government income? All businesses as of July 1st will now get to write off both taxes GST and PST... so who will be making up the difference for our governments tax dollar shortfall, the end user, the consumer not the manufacturer, who gets this write off these taxes across the board! We will all be in debt to our almighty Provincial government, with no voice and no ability to make more money to pay these fees. Corporate Canada needs to produce more industry, higher production of consumable products at a lower prices to stay competitive, so how is this going to happen? Hard working individuals whom work for these companies will have to take lower wages or cutbacks just to keep their jobs. We want big business to invest in our country and yet we keep on telling families and individuals to save more, spend less and help this economy stay financially viable. This is a real farce as the only way to save money is to spend less, have less, travel less and settle for less quality in all of the things we purchase. I call this the "Walmart Syndrome". Families are having to buy products and necessities at lower prices "to accommodate their income or tax increases" by purchasing low-grade products made in China, Indonesia and Taiwan. This unfortunately this does not allow us to be able to buy Canadian products because the cost to produce them is just to high! This makes Canada non competitive in the world market. Then we cry the blues when we lose our jobs and complain as to why we can't we keep large companies in Canada. No one will spend more to get better quality products in our disposable lifestyles therefore we will not be able to support our own country or even keep ourselves employed in a good job. Wake up Canada and start looking at the big picture, we are allowing businesses and government to tell us when and where to spend and who we will buy from... Walmart and McDonalds will be the only things we can afford putting entrepreneurs and small companies out of business! Smart meters are truly going to hurt everyone, especially low income families, the elderly, all of those on shift work, fixed incomes, home occupation, home care, day care etc.... Where will it end? Are your parents and grand parents going to be able to afford the extra fees or stay up until 11 pm just to do their laundry and avoid peak hour usage charges? With our Canadian winters, people who run electric heat will be freezing in order to stay away from peak hour charges and in turn will have trouble paying their bills, put more strain on the health care system because of sickness.... We will feel it right in the pocket book. When we try to heat our homes through the day, all winter and especially during "Peak Hours" who is going to be able to afford rent, mortgages etc.! We think our economy is bad now, in one year's time, when no one can afford the extra amenities in their lives, no one will be purchasing new homes, or the material items we rely on to keep our small businesses in business. No one will be able to better their way of life except the wealthy or big business? How many Hydro Meter Reading jobs will be lost due to the Smart Meters? Is there a safeguard to say that the electronic meters will accurately report and bill your consumption? Who will be controlling the problems, that will be inevitable. I am not willing to pay 9.9 cents per KWH on peak causing my hydro bill to increase by 40%. I've done almost everything imaginable to save hydro in my home and yet it will never be enough. They will not regulate windmills in residential areas as they said they would 7 years ago and yet want to control everything else. This format of billing is not about Saving Money for the consumer, but dictating how, when and where we can use the services, allowing big business to have first grab at the energy the rest of us are saving! Are we share holders in this debt (by the Debt Retirement Charge we are forced to pay) or just consumers being forced to pay what they demand? I do not feel I can let them in good conscience, put a Smart Meter on my house that is going to put Canadians out of work and strain on almost all middle to lower class citizens in Ontario. We need to stop this insanity and start speaking up. Who is going to make this country stronger? We need a voice who will stand up for us to make smart, effective decisions and keep our economy prosperous. FInding ways of creating government income for the country without stomping on the necessities we all need and deserve as citizens. We are not helping ourselves by purchasing cheap, foreign products or allowing the government to control our hydro... this is a huge mistake. As we have seen with the OLG mismanagement and other expenditures which have made us much poorer as a province. If we all want to keep our jobs, we need to reinvest in our future. North American and even foreign companies with good ethical behaviour, who support and reinvest in our country, these are the companies we need to give our dollars to. GET A VOICE, speak up! HST & Smart Meters are going to hurt us in many, many ways. Fight back Canada! Please help me get this PETITION started! If you feel strongly about these changes, please sign and help me to get names to forward on to Mr. McGuinty!