Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty adjourned the legislature on Tuesday some three early weeks ahead of schedule, unofficially kicking off the fall election campaign.

McGuinty conceded the Liberals have their work cut out for them if they are going to shed the label of promise-breakers that has dogged the party since they came into power in 2003.

"We know that's an issue,'' McGuinty said. "It will always remain an issue for us. It's part of who we are as a government. I'm not going to duck that.''

Although McGuinty vowed not to raise taxes in the 2003 campaign, the Liberals brought in a $2.6-billion health tax to counter a $5.6-billion deficit left behind by the former Conservative government.

Met with chants of "four more years, McGuinty told a packed Liberal caucus room on Tuesday that he's proroguing the legislature three weeks early.

"We've completed our agenda - we're not leaving a single government bill on the order paper,'' the premier said.

The legislature won't return until after the Oct. 10 vote.

The Liberals will spend time explaining to voters why the tax increase was necessary and what taxpayers received in return - better health care and education, McGuinty said.

The opposition blasted the Liberals for proroguing the house early, accusing them of "cutting and running'' early to duck scrutiny and leaving more than 100 pieces of legislation on the order paper.

Conservative House Leader Bob Runciman said the "record tax increase'' the Liberals imposed on voters hasn't improved health care or education in Ontario.

"There are very significant issues facing the province and (McGuinty) has opted for a photo-op summer,'' Runciman said.

NDP House Leader Peter Kormos blasted McGuinty's move to adjourn early.

"(McGuinty) and his caucus manage to extend the Christmas sitting to give themselves a salary increase but they managed to leave three-and-a-half weeks earlier in the spring to embark on early summer vacations," Kormos told reporters.

Opposition parties also said the early exit means Citizenship and Immigration Minister Michael Colle won't face tough questioning about the so-called slush funds involving grants to Liberal-friendly cultural groups.

McGuinty has said his government routinely gives millions of dollars in year-end money to organizations without following the usual application process.

All parties have stepped up criticisms in the last few days as they begin vying for votes. Both the Liberals and Conservatives are already hard at work wooing farmers with duelling announcements.

Conservative Leader John Tory spent the last day of the legislative session north of Guelph promising farmers up to $300 million in annual funding.

"Dalton McGuinty and his government have failed the test of leadership,'' Tory said at a farm in Breslau, Ont.

Liberals will announce later this week that the government is giving farmers $55 million in one-time funding.

With a report from CTV's Paul Bliss and files from The Canadian Press