TORONTO -- Ontario's Progressive Conservatives will spend the weekend debating policy ideas such as cutting income taxes and selling beer and wine in corner stores, but the Liberals accused Opposition Leader Tim Hudak Friday of hiding his true agenda.
The Tories have released white papers showing they would eliminate 10,000 education jobs and make union membership optional, but those ideas are not on the agenda at the PC policy conference in London, said Liberal MPP Steven Del Duca.
"I think it's the clearest demonstration I've seen yet that they have a pretty horrible, hidden agenda for the people of Ontario," said Del Duca.
Hudak is trying to present a kinder, gentler face at the convention so he can defeat a motion this weekend to change the Tories' constitution to allow for a review of his leadership, added Del Duca.
"You can't spend two years and devote all the time, energy and resources that Mr. Hudak and his team have done to create the kind of policies we've seen them release, and then say at the 11th hour ... 'We're not going to put that stuff in the window' so they can try to fool all of us," he said. "It's not going to work."
There are about two dozen policy ideas up for debate at the Tory convention, including a proposal to lower personal tax rates and reduce the number of income tax brackets to ease the overall tax load. The Tories would pay for the tax cuts by reducing the number of tax credits that currently exist.
Conservative delegates will also consider a plan to allow Ontario stores to be licensed to sell beer and wine, similar to what's done in British Columbia and Quebec.
The Tories will also debate allowing municipalities in northern Ontario to make their own decisions about reinstating a spring bear hunt, and another idea to create a mandatory financial literacy credit for all high school students.
Hudak was shrugging off challenges to his leadership at the policy conference, saying it will amount to nothing more than "a footnote in the party's history."
Some Tories upset that they took only one of five byelections last month moved a motion to amend the party's constitution to allow for a leadership review, a motion Hudak originally tried to quash until two caucus members openly said the party should listen to the concerns of grassroots members.
Hudak captured 78 per cent support in the leadership review that was automatic after the Tories lost the 2011 election, and said he doesn't need to face another one.
"Our PC party has been known from time to time to get together at conventions and we'll have our quarrels and then we unite, and we are a formidable force when it comes to campaigns and elections," he said.
The Liberals were having some fun Friday with Hudak's leadership problems, producing a delegate kit bag of 11 large buttons with sayings such as "Et tu Frank?"
That's a reference to Frank Klees, one of the two Tory caucus members who supported a leadership review, but who later declared his support for Hudak.
The Liberal bag also includes a "Draft Randy Hillier" button pinned to a pair of suspenders, the trademark of the Tory rebel who Hudak recently fired as PC labour critic. Hillier had also supported debate on a leadership review this weekend.
There was also a "Survivor London" button, with the catch words: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast," and a "Draft Shurman" pin showing the party's former finance critic wearing aviator goggles under the heading "a pilot project."
Hudak recently fired Shurman, who pilots his own plane, for refusing to pay back a $20,000 housing allowance for a residence in Niagara -- he represents a Toronto-area riding -- even though Shurman did not break any rules.
The weekend convention is all about policy ideas and preparing for the next election, insisted Hudak.
"I've been across the province talking to PC party members and the general public and they like what we're talking about," he said. "They like our plan on jobs, they like our plan around making sure the government spends within its means."
Supporters say now is not the time to be talking about reviewing Hudak's leadership, especially with Premier Kathleen Wynne threatening an election if the minority Liberals can't get bills passed in the legislature.
