Mr. Speaker, the technology for the changeover is already in place. There will be some changes but the technology is in place and it is not the same as introducing a whole new system.
The member talks about the prices of houses going up. I just indicated in my speech that housing prices will go down because the input costs will go back into the industry and they will bring the prices down.
The member mentioned that jobs are being lost. One of the major features of this tax is that over the long term, over the next few years, jobs will be created. There will be all kinds of input taxes being returned to the different companies in Atlantic Canada and in Nova Scotia in particular. They will have more money to work with. Consequently, they will be able to put that money back into improving and expanding their businesses and obviously creating jobs.
About 73 per cent of Nova Scotians who were surveyed prior to this system coming into place wanted a system which provided one price which included the tax in it. Businesses asked for it. That is why we made these agreements with the Atlantic provinces, with the exception of P.E.I. We wanted to create a better situation for the consumers, namely that they would be able to go to the cash register with a $15.95 price tag and pay $15.95.
I am sorry that the member opposite has been misled. Unfortunately, his comments the way he put them are incorrect.