The House of Commons has taken the first step to allow Ontario and British Columbia to harmonize the provincial sales tax and federal GST on products and services.

In a 192-32 vote, the Conservatives, Liberals and Bloc Quebecois supported the ways and means motion amending the Excise Tax Act, one of the steps towards implementing the Harmonized Sales Tax. The HST bill itself is expected to be introduced on Friday.

Quite a few MPs were absent for the vote. British Columbia's Liberal MPs appear to be split on whether to support the HST.

B.C. MP Keith Martin has said he is trying to convince his party's leadership that MPs who are against the HST bill should not be forced to vote in support of it.

On Tuesday, Ignatieff said his party would support the bill and that the vote would be whipped, meaning Liberal MPs would have to back the legislation.

The vote on the HST has put the party in the position of either supporting a measure unpopular with consumers or opposing the wishes of the B.C. and Ontario governments. Both provinces have moved ahead with plans to merge the taxes.

With files from The Canadian Press