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News
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Opposition says government could have
gone further with rebate
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Opposition Finance Critic and MHA for the District of Grand Falls-Buchans, Anna Thistle, says while it is encouraging to see, following much pressure, the Home Heating Rebate expanded to cover electricity users, she is disappointed that government has decided to cut in half the amount of the maximum energy rebate from $400 last year to $200 this year. "What is happening here is really a case of robbing one group of low-income people to pay another low- income group. Government failed to provide a comprehensive program that offers significant assistance to all low-income earners faced with the high cost of home heating, as well as a program that offers some assistance to the hard-hit middle class, " says Thistle. The Liberal MHA points out that it is ironic that the provincial government is getting a huge financial windfall because we are an energy producing province, but is so unwilling to pass along any of this money to energy consumers in this province. "We have heard reports recently that food banks in this province are being pressed to their limits and that the gap been the rich and poor is increasing. We have seen 9,000 people line up for work outside the province, yet this government still does not get the message that there are people in this province who just can=t make ends meet.@ Thistle says she would also like government to consider offering some assistance for the often forgotten middle class in this province, who are increasingly becoming the working poor. "I think the government should look at the possibility of removing the provincial government portion of the HST off fuel prices. Also, government should be more aggressively pursuing an enhanced residential Energy Efficiency program with the federal government that would target reducing fuel needs through more energy efficient homes." AOverall, this is a good first step, but this administration could have been more innovative and generous with this energy rebate program. We encourage government to move in that direction in its next budget.@
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