TORONTO -- Premier Dalton McGuinty defended spending thousands of dollars for a British government official to lecture his ministers yesterday by saying he grounded cabinet in Queen's Park for the week. McGuinty confirmed one of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's key advisers flew to Toronto on the taxpayers' tab to make a dinner presentation to cabinet last night on restructuring government services.

"I've been advised the cost is under $7,000," McGuinty said.

That cost includes only travel and accommodation costs and no honorarium. His office originally stated the cost would be $10,000.

"I want you to take note that this may very well be the first cabinet retreat to be held in the cabinet room," he said.

The cabinet is holding a two-day retreat in preparation of a major provincewide consultation into revamping public services. Such retreats are traditionally held in communities around the province.

New Democrat MPP Peter Kormos ridiculed the notion of spending so much money to gain some British inspiration.

"For five (thousand) they could have gotten Richard Simmons. Ten Gs could have gotten you Tony Robbins -- they would have had some real motivation."

Bruce Winchester of the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation said the cabinet could have immediately cut a small slice off its projected $5.6-billion deficit this year by letting Blair adviser Michael Barber stay home as well.