TORONTO - Ontario's opposition parties say the Liberal government shut down public hearings into the proposed harmonized sales tax in the middle of debate.
The Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats say the Liberals used a procedural manoeuvre late Monday night to end hearings into the bill to create a 13 per cent sales tax.
The Liberals asked for a quorum call but refused to return, forcing the Liberal chairwoman to declare the public hearings into the HST over.
The New Democrats accuse the Liberals of walking off the job.
Conservative critic Lisa MacLeod says the Liberals are afraid to face public opposition to the new tax, which will apply to items now exempt from the PST, including gasoline and home heating fuel.
The government says the Conservatives were wasting time, demanding recorded votes on 500,000 Opposition amendments that would have essentially rendered the HST useless.
