Premier Dalton McGuinty defended the HST during a trip to Ottawa Wednesday despite the recent resignation of B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell over the controversial tax.
Touring the Enterpreneur Centre at Ottawa city hall, the premier said that Ontarians must make sacrifices like paying the HST and footing increased hydro bills to keep the province's economy afloat.
He also said he didn't fear a backlash from Ontario voters like the one Campbell experienced in B.C.
"We can under-appreciate the intelligence of voters if we say well it's just one particular issue that's going to motivate them," he said. "People are complicated and they've got a whole bunch of things."
McGuinty also used his trip to Ottawa to talk about the importance of small businesses.
"They're the ones who go out there, they put it all on the line. They take the risks, they borrow the money, they make the investments and they create the jobs. And they're doing more than their share when it comes to helping the economy."
McGuinty is on the cusp of campaign season for what is likely to be a fiercely-contested provincial election in October. After the HST-spurred resignation of B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, the tax, along with increasing hydro prices, is likely to be a big election issue.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley
