But where’s my tax relief?

The Ontario government released its budget today, including plans to harmonise provincial sales tax with the federal GST. The result will be higher sales tax on several items that were previously exempt from PST like bikes, bicycle helmets, and homes over $400,000, but women can take solace that feminine hygeine products are still exempt from the provincial portion of the tax. So how come I can’t get the provincial tax discounted on vasoline and Kleenex?

In local news, the Entertainment District Business Association is taking steps to regulate itself amid growing city and police pressure against club owners. The ‘duh’ obvious suggestions they come up with aren’t exactly groundbreaking, and local councillor Adam Vaughan didn’t even show up to the meeting, but just maybe the meeting will inspire the city to remember that they created this district to be played in, and not get so uptight about people having fun.

On the lighter side of the news, CTV reports that federal Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff’s latest (lame) web initiative, onprobation.ca shares a domain name with an ethnic and interracial porn and fetish web site (NSFW).

Rob Salerno is a playwright and journalist whose writing has appeared in such publications as Vice, Advocate, NOW and OutTraveler.

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