Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is for the Acting Premier. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation broke it to Ontario families that Dalton McGuinty's HST will add between $250 and $400 a year more to the cost of gas and to fuel. For months, the McGuinty Liberals, they dodged, they ducked and they hid what they knew about the impact that Dalton McGuinty's 8% HST tax grab-

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Members will please come to order.

Please continue.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Was it because you planned to bury the HST in the price of gas at the pump so nobody would notice your greedy HST tax grab?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: A range of Conservative experts have told us that the HST will create jobs. Let me tell you the start with Jack Mintz: "Within 10 years, Ontario will benefit from increased capital investment of $47 billion." We will increase annual worker incomes by $29.4 billion and we will create some 591,000 net new jobs.

I think that's why Jim Flaherty, Cheryl Gallant, Tony Clement, John Baird, even-here's what Tim Hudak said in March 2009. He said, "We understand how that (single sales tax) can help the economy."

Unfortunately, all the bluster in the world can't replace serious, sound policy that will create jobs for our children and grandchildren. It's right for our future-

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. Supplementary?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Let me dumb it down for the minister. It is going to cost Ontario families between $250 to $400 more for gas in their cars once his HST tax grab takes effect. Even Stéphane Dion's carbon tax wasn't going to tax gas. British Columbia's HST doesn't tax gas either. BC made a decision to protect families from paying more for fuel in their vehicles to get them to work and to take their kids to school or to go on family vacation. British Columbia didn't want families to pay more for fresh produce either, or other groceries that would cost more to be trucked to market. You had choices, so why did you choose to make Ontario families pay more for everyday non-discretionary items?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: Mr. Speaker, I would actually like to upgrade the debate in the House, as you have called on us to, refer to some facts and try to keep a cool perspective as we move forward.

Here's what another member of the CTF said: "Harmonization has some clear benefits." That's from the director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in Saskatchewan.

This tax policy, in fact, will lower taxes for 93% of all Ontarians.

Laughter.

Hon. Dwight Duncan: The opposition wants to laugh. They want to ignore the recommendations of their federal counterparts. They want to ignore their own past when they spoke in favour of it. It's no doubt that it's a difficult policy that requires a great deal of work and explanation. We're committed to that because it will create jobs for our kids and our grandchildren. After all, I think that's the most important thing that any government can do.