TORONTO -- The Occupation of '09 is over and while it fell short of its stated goals, Opposition Leader Tim Hudak declared victory as MPPs Bill Murdoch and Randy Hillier finally retreated from the chamber.
"Sadly we have run into a very arrogant and out of touch McGuinty government that has walled into its ivory towers and is refusing to move outside of Queen's Park for public hearings," Hudak said, shortly after a weary and unshaven Murdoch and Hillier left the chamber after a 45-hour protest.
"Obviously you know why -- because they know that if they confront taxpayers who are going to foot that bill they're not going to like what they hear."
Murdoch, from Owen Sound, and Hillier, from eastern Ontario, were booted from the legislature on Monday by Speaker Steve Peters as part of their party's campaign to slow down passage of the government's harmonized sales tax bill. The two refused to leave and slept overnight in the members' gallery off to the side.
"This was an extraordinary measure that the PC caucus decided to undertake because of the massive sales tax grab and the fact we didn't have one hearing outside this legislature," Hudak said.
The Tories not only left without getting a full public hearing, they gave up a chance to add an extra day and a half of hearings offered by the Liberal government.
Murdoch and Hillier apologized to Peters for defying him and are now barred from the legislature until the end of the session, which theoretically could be another two years but is more likely to be the spring.
"Does that make a difference? We're accountable to the citizens we represent," Murdoch said, before heading home for a shower.
Hillier said he'll continue to fight against the impending HST -- the combined federal and provincial 13% sales tax set to come into effect July 1.
"It's not a done deal unless the people of Ontario back away from it," he said.
Realistically, there are few chances left for the opposition to block passage of the HST bill, which will likely happen next week.
"We've been nothing if not thorough and deliberate in giving everybody an opportunity to wrap their minds around this," Premier Dalton McGuinty said.
JONATHAN.JENKINS@SUNMEDIA.CA
