It is an interesting time to follow the Ontario Legislature, not because of what is being done to advance democracy and accountability, but because what is being done to stifle it.

Last Tuesday, the McGuinty Liberals moved to shut down debate on the budget by limiting discussion to a measly five hours. 

They also defeated an amendment I proposed that would have added eight more hours of debate and allowed the Standing Committee on Finance to travel across the province for public hearings.  

If the government were confident in its budget, why would they reject an opportunity for public input?

The government says their budget will help struggling businesses, but clearly it's not going to help the ones I have been talking to due to the new harmonized sales tax.

I have heard from hundreds of realtors in our riding who have expressed deep concern over the new sales tax. 

They correctly point out that this new tax will add more than $2,000 to the cost of a home transaction.  That is on top of their unease in relation to the Green Energy Act that will chip away at the value of our homes with its mandatory home energy audits.

Another local merchant wrote me to say that as a small business owner "this harmonized tax will not in any way help our business."  He owns a home flooring company and noted that the new tax will "make the final price more expensive for the consumer without a penny going to us the retailer."

I even heard from a local funeral home that called this a "death tax" since it will apply to all funeral services, from caskets to tombstones.  She noted that the average cost of a funeral is $5,500 and with this new tax, that cost will rise by $440 on average.  This government is taxing us to death, and now they want to tax us in death.

Why the Liberals won't allow these people to voice their concerns with this new tax directly to legislators is beyond me.  After all, this budget is supposed to be good for us, right? 

It reminds me of an inscription in the legislative chamber that reads "audi alteram partum." It's Latin for "Hear the other side." 

Public hearings allow people who are in favor, people who are opposed, and people who believe that there can be some changes that might improve legislation to speak.  Stifling legislative and public debate only breeds suspicion.

Dalton McGuinty used to style himself as an advocate for full public debate.  His agriculture minister even told the House a few months ago that the government is "committed to ensuring that the people of Ontario, before bills become law, do have an opportunity to have their say."  I guess they don't mean important bills, it must just mean the bills they use to wag the dog.

Jim Wilson is the Conservative MPP for Simcoe-Grey.