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Ms. Lisa MacLeod: It's a real pleasure to join the debate here today on behalf of my PC caucus colleagues and, of course, our leader, Tim Hudak, in support of this motion.

For about the last 85 to 90 days, members of the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus have been travelling across the province. We've been asking people, through our deep survey of 50 questions strong, what their views are in their communities and in our own communities. We've also been conveying where we've been going and where we plan to move this province when we form government. What comes up quite frequently is: Where are their tax dollars going? That is a primary concern for the people of Ontario.

One of the tours that many of us did was on the debt retirement charge, the DRC, and the residual stranded debt. That was $7.8 billion, and in the last few years Ontario families have paid $7.8 billion in debt retirement charges on that residual stranded debt. The McGuinty government is going to continue to charge this debt retirement charge on the hydro bills. What's worse is not only are they going to continue to charge Ontario families for this debt retirement charge, they're actually charging HST on the hydro bill and HST on top of this DRC. This government is going to take in millions upon millions more dollars in taxes from Ontario families who are trying to heat their homes. It's shameful. We're hearing that people can't afford this government anymore and that they don't believe their tax dollars are being spent wisely.

That's why, wisely, the Ontario PC caucus, under our leader, Tim Hudak, is calling for a forensic audit: to ensure that each and every single penny that is sent to this government for that debt retirement charge is going where it ought to be going. We believe it should have been paid for and paid down already-and the people of this province, particularly those on fixed incomes, would not have to continue to pay a bill that is unnecessary and should have been, by all accounts, erased at this point in time.

I don't have a lot of time here today, but I will say this. My constituents in Nepean-Carleton and the constituents right across the rest of the province have spoken up, and I'm going to read a few of the concerns that people are actually saying.

"Why do we pay their debt and retirement regulatory charges and the HST? Most of what we pay on our hydro bills is completely unfair. Most people in this province are having troubles just making ends meet after working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and these goons get paid four or five times as much, with our tax money, after getting"-

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bruce Crozier): Member from Nepean-Carleton, please; I got up a few minutes ago and I asked that we watch our language. The fact is that you can't say through something that someone else said something that you can't say in here. You just can't do that. So, please, keep some temperament.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod: Thanks, Speaker. That was just a quote I was doing.

Here's a second one: "I am retired and with the combined increased prices in food, gas, fuel and hydro, I am finding it difficult to make ends meet and I would like you to explain to me your government's reason for this madness. The taxpayers of Ontario have had enough and you have taken us from being the most prosperous province in Canada to a have-not province and your leader, Dalton McGuinty, only smirks at the people of Ontario when confronted with this fact and you and your party care nothing for the devastation you have caused or put the citizens of this province through."

My final quote that comes in from folks, out of the many, because I am challenged with the time on the clock: "Headline today says that the government knew that the HST is going to cost us $1,500 per household; $1,500 per house, that is 5% of my disposable income. Seriously, 5% pay cut in a recession, are you kidding me? Additionally, the power is going up and so is gas, food prices are going up, and the city of Ottawa is talking rising taxes...."

The people in this province have had enough. They can't afford this government any more. They want to know: Where has their money gone? Some $7.8 billion has been paid by them to pay off their debt. They have not shown us where it is. Let's have a forensic audit so that we can get on with business in this province and protect the taxpayers of this province.