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Ontario Hansard - 02-December2009
Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is for the Premier. What do public hearings on the HST and a public inquiry into the billion-dollar Liberal health care boondoggle at eHealth have in common? It's the public.
We're wondering, on this side, why you are hiding from the public who have questions about your scandals and your tax grab.
Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Finance.
Hon. Dwight Duncan: Our government has endeavoured on all efforts to involve public opinion across Ontario for more than nine months since the introduction of the bill. I regret that yesterday, because of the opposition, we lost an hour of question period. I regret that a week ago Monday, we lost an hour of question period because of the tactics of the opposition. I regret that that member and her colleagues on the committee have moved the hearing times for the bill-the important public hearings-until midnight tonight. That's all unfortunate.
But the member opposite and her colleagues need to understand this government's absolute commitment to moving forward with creating 600,000 new jobs. It's the right-
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Supplementary?
Ms. Lisa MacLeod: The one thing that we all regret in this chamber is that you are in charge of the province, because, my goodness with the scandals and the tax grab, you're now known as Canada's worst government, and you've also become Canada's most secretive government.
We know, on this side of the House, that it's been a tough session for them. With the scandals at OLG, eHealth and the Windsor Energy Centre, he's got his hands in every pot, and now he's rushing to try and get away because of the $3-billion tax grab. Despite a motion to extend sittings, you're in a race to ram through your record $3-billion tax grab and to try to run away from your billion-dollar boondoggle.
We also know that the $1 billion wasted at eHealth resulted in him throwing right under the bus two ministers, a deputy minister, the CEO, and a chair.
We want to know: Why are you throwing the Ontario public under the bus, and will you have the guts to hold public hearings outside of Toronto on eHealth?
Interjections.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Minister?
Hon. Dwight Duncan: I think Ontarians want their Legislature to move responsibly and productively. I think they see the importance of the debate which we have engaged in. I think they want a reasoned debate. I think they do want to have the opportunity to be heard. That's why we've conducted some 160 hearings across the province involving our members, people who support the HST and others.
I think the people of Ontario really do regret this; they regret the fact that we've wasted, I think, some six hours now on stunts, and even the front row of that party understands the mistake they made.
It's important to move forward with this plan, which will create some 600,000 new jobs and lower taxes for all Ontarians. We will lead through this, unlike that member and her party.
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