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Golden Olympic Lining Precedes Dark Clouds for Amateur Sport Northern MPs congratulate Olympians, raise sport tax concerns
March 2, 2010
THUNDER BAY – On the heels of an historic level of success by Canadian Olympic athletes at the Vancouver 2010 Games, Thunder Bay–Superior North MP Bruce Hyer congratulated Thunder Bay gold medal winners Haley Irwin and Eric Staal, and all the athletes that helped make the 2010 Winter Games a huge success.
"These Olympic Games have been truly momentous, and I am immensely proud of the extraordinary efforts made by Canadian athletes." said Hyer “No Canadian could help but get caught up in the incredible culmination to the best Winter Olympics in our nation’s history. The final day of the Games was the perfect example of how sports can truly bring our nation together.”
Sudbury MP Glenn Thibeault, the New Democrat Critic for Amateur Sport, says an entire country stood up and cheered. “Who wasn’t proud to be a Canadian over the past two weeks? This proves what great heights we can reach when proper funding and resources are given to our athletes.”
Hyer wants to maintain local conditions that foster amateur sport. "I am very pleased that a record $4.1 million was attracted to Thunder Bay and the riding so far this fiscal year under the federal Recreational Infrastructure Canada (RInC) Program, for projects like upgrading rinks, pools, trails and arenas. Unfortunately, there are dark clouds gathering on the horizon for local sports. The new Harmonized Sales Tax will sabotage the entire sport and recreation sector, including the amateur sports that so many young people built our Olympic success on."
Sports and recreation is one of the largest economic sectors in Ontario, contributing over $4 billion to the economy annually. It is also the province's largest volunteer enterprise, with over 1 million volunteer little league coaches, instructors, support personnel, and others devoting their time. And studies have shown that the health and social benefits of amateur sport are far greater than even its direct economic impact.
Thibeault added "I am very concerned about the HST's impact on amateur sports in Canada. Participation will decline due to increased registration costs under the harmonized tax, our non-profits will have to pay more for rink rentals, gasoline, and devote more time to paperwork, and the HST will hike taxes on sports safety equipment. We need to have exemptions in these areas so Ontario families continue to receive the health benefits of participation in amateur sport."
The HST is scheduled to come into force on July 1 of this year. Hyer noted that "Federal legislation authorizing a $4.3 billion payoff to the province to implement the HST is the final legal piece needed to steamroll ahead with this new tax. I will be watching to see if Harper tries to sneak this into the upcoming Budget."
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CONTACT BRUCE |
Constituency Office:
(Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
69 N. Court Street
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P7A 4T7
Tel: 807-345-1818
Toll-free:
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Fax: 807-345-4752
bruce@brucehyer.ca
Parliamentary Office:
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Bruce Hyer, MP
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-996-4792
Fax: 613-996-9785
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