Ms. Lisa MacLeod: My question is to the Acting Premier. The Ontario PC leader has called for a committee of this Legislature to review all government agencies. It's a remarkable step-

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Stop the clock. Order. Please. Please continue.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: This is a remarkable step toward democracy to take power out of the Premier's office and ask members of this Assembly to inform us on how government services should be structured. Premier McGuinty, by contrast, has proposed to contract out a review of government to a high-priced, hand-picked group of consultants on a panel led by the architect of the HST, Don Drummond. The last time we received a report to this government was when it was proposing the HST. Is the Premier of this province contracting out the review because he can't help himself from appointing high-priced consultants or does he simply think his caucus is too out of gas, too out of touch and too out of talent?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: Members of this House do have the opportunity to put forward plans. Unfortunately, the member opposite and her party have refused to do so. I will say this about Mr. Drummond, who is one of Canada's most respected economists, who has not always agreed with this government: He was a senior official at federal finance for many years. He's one of the most published economists in this country. We look forward to hearing recommendations from him and others. We look forward to your recommendations. Unfortunately, you haven't said anything yet. You haven't given us a plan. I think instead of insulting honourable Canadians with cheap talk, the member opposite ought to clean up the act and start showing respect to the people of Ontario and the people that generously volunteer their service.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Respect for this Legislature is actually putting the power back into the hands of MPPs in this chamber instead of hand-picked, high-priced consultants who are going to inevitably tell us that we're going to need to raise taxes. The Ontario PCs, under our leader Tim Hudak's plan, will put the power back in the hands of the members of this Legislative Assembly to review spending and to ensure that front-line care and other critical services that we deliver in Ontario are protected.

Your hand-picked, high-priced consultants are only accountable to the Premier of this province, who calls the shots, and the consultant you hand-picked is the same person who handed you a report to bring in the HST. The question is not how much you're going to hike it, or if you're going to hike it; the question is, when are you going to table a new hike to the HST in this province?

Hon. Dwight Duncan: What a sad spectacle from the party of Leslie Frost and Bill Davis. You know what? I don't think members of this Legislature ought to be trash-talking important individuals, Canadians who have made an enormous contribution to the public-

Interjections.

Hon. Dwight Duncan: I look forward to Mr. Drummond's recommendations, just as I look forward to professor Jack Mintz's recommendations. I'll remind you that he was the Conservative's leading expert at prebudget consultations.

I think we, in this House, owe a courtesy to the people of Ontario to treat them with respect and show them the honour that they deserve. Let's work together in a calm, reasonable way to build a better future for our children and our grandchildren.