TORONTO - Premier Kathleen Wynne says Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak's plan to cut 100,000 public sector jobs is dangerous and will drive Ontario back into recession.
Campaigning in Guelph for the June 12th election, Wynne said Hudak is talking about cutting twice as many jobs as former PC premier Mike Harris did, and warned it would undermine the fragile economic recovery.
At an earlier stop in Mississauga, Wynne was endorsed by Mayor Hazel McCallion, who praised the Liberals for working closely with municipalities before taking shots at the Tories and New Democrats.
The influential, 93-year-old McCallion says she doesn't know what the NDP's polices are, and warns that Hudak's public sector job cuts would hurt municipalities and the quality of life for residents.
For his part, Hudak has laid out his plan to eliminate the $12.5-billion deficit by 2016, and says only health-care spending would increase under a Conservative government while there would be changes in education like larger class sizes.
Hudak again defended his plan to slash public sector jobs and impose a two-year wage freeze on anyone paid by taxpayers to save two billion dollars a year, and said he'd dock cabinet ministers pay if they don't meet the balanced budget target.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath promises to cut government spending by $600 million, and says she'd reduce the number of ministers by one third, although she would add a new minister of savings and accountability.
Horwath admits she doesn't know yet which eight ministers she'd eliminate, but says there's waste and duplication across government and its agencies that should be rooted out, starting with the energy sector.
