Madam Speaker, I want to point out one small matter and ask my friend a question as well.
The debate over burying the tax in the shelf price or not is by no means unanimous. In the riding I serve a large number of retailers have begged us to proceed with harmonization. They actually want the tax buried in the sticker price and shown on the cash register receipt. The member should be aware that this is not unanimous.
If a harmonized sales tax is such a bad deal, why are chambers of commerce coming to me asking why it is not in Ontario, when it is coming and who is holding it up? I have to explain to them the offer is open to Ontario to harmonize at any time. The provincial governments held harmonization in great favour before the were elected have since reversed themselves and are not proceeding with the harmonization the business community really wants.
If the business community wants it, why is it such a bad deal?