Ms. Lisa MacLeod: To the Premier of Ontario: Health and fitness clubs like Curves have joined us here at the park today. I'd like to welcome Andy Soumbos and Becky Frusher of Curves, as well as the executive director of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada, Brian Gilbank, to the House today. I appreciate them coming.

Like many Ontarians, though, Premier, they wonder why Dalton McGuinty is so afraid of a motion calling for the HST to be put to Ontario voters before the next election, and why you would backtrack on a deal made with your House leader so that it could be debated today.

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: First of all, I want to welcome our guests to the Legislature today. I want to thank them for the work that they do. I think we all recognize that as we grapple with growing, ever-escalating health care costs, one of the things we need to do is to find more ways to encourage more Ontarians to participate in physical activity. So I thank them for the work that they're doing.

I think by way of so-called deals-I'm not familiar with the deal, as my colleague calls it, with respect to the House leaders, but I can say that we have a strong working partnership with the federal government. If it were not for them, if they would not act as our partners in this important initiative, we would not be able to move ahead for the HST. Again, I thank them for their co-operation in this regard.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: The Premier isn't so bold or confident enough to put his record sales tax grab back to a vote in this chamber with his backbenchers so that the people of Ontario will have an opportunity to vote on this tax. Your House leader came looking for a deal to manage Liberal bills and agreed to debate our motion-until you saw it. It reminded you of your vow not to implement new taxes without the explicit consent of Ontario voters. Our motion would have held you accountable to your promise by delaying the HST until after the next election. Are you running away from our motion because you're afraid how members, particularly in the Liberal caucus, would vote?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: This is an important new public policy initiative. It's not new in four other provinces, it's not new in 140 countries, but it is new for Ontarians. We've had a budget motion. There's the bill itself; there may have been as many as three votes on that. So we may have voted four times on this. It's also been the subject of a vote in Ottawa at the House of Commons. We are in compliance with the Taxpayer Protection Act. I think my honourable colleague understands that. We've debated-I'm not sure any public policy initiative in recent times has received more attention inside and outside this chamber, and that's only appropriate. We feel that we've had the necessary debate and we think now it's time to move on to strengthen this economy and create 600,000 more jobs.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Final supplementary.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Dalton McGuinty used to think that the right thing to do was get the explicit consent of Ontario voters before raising their taxes. He was so certain it was right, he signed his name to an oath that said he would "not raise taxes or implement any new taxes without the explicit consent of Ontario voters." But Dalton McGuinty now admits that "the HST will be an increase in taxation" for families and is driving ahead with his tax agenda as if his oath to Ontario voters didn't matter at all. Will you put to a vote our motion in this House and only implement the HST once there is a mandate from the voters to do so?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: Again, it's been the subject of three and possibly four separate votes in this chamber. My honourable colleague and her party maintain that they are adamantly opposed to this budgetary measure, but should they ever earn the privilege of serving Ontarians in government, they are also absolutely committed to maintaining the HST in its place. I find that a little unusual.

Again, if it had not been for the support of Jim Flaherty, Janet Ecker, John Baird, Tony Clement, John Tory, Mike Harris, Senator Runciman and Prime Minister Harper, we would not be able to move ahead with this initiative. I want to thank them once again for their support. This is something that actually transcends partisanship. Thoughtful people know this is in the interest of our economy. It's all about 600,000 more jobs.