Here is my response to Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon's insult about the school tax

Following my column last Saturday “School tax gifts for the rich, enough is enough!” When I mentioned that François Legault, Eric Girard and Pierre Fitzgibbon were among the main beneficiaries of the CAQ reform by saving thousands of dollars annually compared to the existing tax in 2018, Minister Fitzgibbon challenged me with a scathing reply on X. (Twitter).

It read: “Writing relevant texts that respect the basic rules of journalistic ethics is very difficult for @migirard (Michel Girard). It is absurd to suggest that anyone has taken this decision to benefit some ministers. Personalizing the discussion does not contribute to the discussion. In 2018, I have a big house, in 2024 I have a small condo. So, my tax bill actually went down :-). When you attack people, have the decency to get the facts!

The facts?

Mr. Fitzgibbon, I am not referring to your “small condo” in Montreal compared to your “big house” of 2018.

I refer to your new property in Estrie, valued at $5.6 million.

Your 2024 school tax bill is $3,481. Compared to school taxes in effect in 2018, thanks to the CAQ reform of the school tax, you saved nearly $3,500.

These are the facts!