Conservative MPs are playing down Ottawa's role in convincing Ontario and B.C. to move towards tax harmonization, saying the federal government had nothing to do with the decision even though it's kicking in billions of dollars to ease the transition.

Three Tories have publicly distanced themselves from the contentious policy after constituents complained about the move, which Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has enthusiastically promoted for more than a year.

Responding to an email from a disgruntled Tory supporter, B.C. MP James Lunney laid the blame for the single sales tax at the province's feet.

"As this was a decision of the B.C. provincial government, I encourage you to contact MLA Ron Cantelon to relay any concerns you may have," he wrote in a reply which was published in the Oceanside Star.

His comments echoed those of B.C. MP Dick Harris and Ontario MP Larry Miller, fellow Tories who have shown far less enthusiasm for a single sales tax than the finance minister.

Tax harmonization was initiated by Ontario alone and was not a decision made by the federal government "in any way," Miller wrote in an opinion piece published Aug. 11 in the Owen Sound Sun Times.

Harris, who made similar comments in the Prince George Citizen, acknowledged that some of his constituents have raised concerns about tax harmonization.

But the federal government must abide by the provinces' wishes because it's bound by legislation brought in by Jean Chretien's Liberals, he said.

"I do recall the interview and I do recall the story, and my comments were very clear to the interviewer, and that was that it was the province of B.C. that initiated the harmonization, not the federal government, which is true," he said Thursday.

"Because of the legislation that was in place, the federal government is obligated by the legislation to make a payment based on the formula that was established and to allow the provinces to do this."

That wasn't what happened in Ontario, according to senior provincial sources familiar with the deal.

Flaherty has "aggressively pursued" tax harmonization for the last year, but his original offer of financial help was far less than the $4.3 billion he finally agreed to provide the province, they said.

In fact, negotiations stalled at one point because Flaherty wasn't offering the province enough to take the plunge, they added.

"The federal Conservatives and Minister Flaherty have been advocates for this going back well over a year, and have in fact cut the cheques to make it happen," said one senior source.

The formula used to calculate Ontario's compensation served as the benchmark for Ottawa's agreement with B.C., which will receive $1.6 billion to make the switch. Flaherty has since offered the same formula to any other province that wants to jump aboard.

Ontario provincial Tory Bill Murdoch, who shares the riding with Miller, said his federal cousins are trying to "spin" the issue because they're afraid it will haunt them in the next election.

Tax harmonization is a "hot" issue among many of his constituents, who are "very upset" about it, he said.

Merging the provincial sales tax with the federal GST became politically toxic for some governments when consumers ended up paying more for many items currently exempt from the provincial levy.

"The fact is that the premier (Dalton McGuinty) has said he wouldn't be doing this without (Ottawa's) money," Murdoch said.

"I mean, you can twist that any way you want. If I pay you to do something, I can deny it all I want, but if I actually paid you to do it, I'm part of it no matter what it is."

Harris said he did not approach Flaherty, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, his caucus colleagues or their staff for guidance on how to handle his constituents' concerns about tax harmonization.

Sources say none of the MPs will be punished for speaking out.

Earlier this month, Flaherty praised Ontario and B.C. for moving ahead with tax harmonization, calling it a "solid" policy that will create jobs and grow the Canadian economy in the long run.

His 2008 budget called tax harmonization the "single most important step" that provinces could take to improve the competitiveness of Canadian business.

A spokesman for Flaherty said the minister stands by his remarks and declined to comment further.

"If any Ontarian is concerned about this provincial decision (on tax harmonization), they should contact his or her MPP," said Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for Harper.

"We said that we would accept the decision of any provincial government to proceed with the harmonization of the sales tax, but ultimately the decision is a decision that needs to be made by the provinces."

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador harmonized their sales taxes with the federal GST more than 10 years ago. Quebec partially harmonized its sales tax system and Alberta has no provincial sales tax.

That leaves Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island as the remaining holdouts.

The public uproar over harmonization in Nova Scotia contributed to the Liberal government's defeat in 1999.

Former Saskatchewan premier Grant Devine, who harmonized sales taxes in 1991, was defeated in the next election by the New Democrats, who split the taxes up again.