Wynne won’t be budged on budget
With Hudak gunning for an election, minority premier needs NDP support
Ontario premier says she knows the Liberals are vulnerable, but she won’t try to pass the budget at any price.
Premier Kathleen Wynne says she fully understands that her minority government is vulnerable, but will not try to pass a budget at any price.
She believes her “middle ground” policy of fiscal responsibility and the creation of a “fair society” remains the best course for Ontario.
Speaking to reporters Friday on her first visit to Ottawa as premier, Wynne acknowledged the opposition can bring her down at any time — and so all she can do is concentrate on the things that matter to people and hope that one or more of her opposition rivals will find things in the coming budget that they can embrace.
But if the opposition parties choose to defeat the government and trigger an election, so be it.
“We are a Liberal government, we brought in a Liberal throne speech and will be bringing in a Liberal budget,” Wynne said.
“I believe that fiscal responsibility, fair society and good process are the kinds of things other parties can buy into.
“We are not going to get a budget to pass at any cost.”
The premier was in Ottawa for a “jobs round table” with leaders of the technology sector to hear their ideas about creating jobs.
At the meeting hosted by video technology manufacturing firm Ross Video, Wynne expressed optimism about Ottawa’s future, and said she got some insight into some of the things that need to be done to create jobs.
The premier said she will continue the listening tour around the province in preparation for the budget, which is expected some time in April.
“Ontario is already a powerhouse in information communication technology and we need the expertise and insight of this sector to help us to advance innovation and create new opportunities for the people of Ontario,” she said.
But whether her government will survive beyond the spring is a big question.
Opposition leader Tim Hudak has made it abundantly clear that he’s had enough of the Liberal government and wants an immediate election.
For now, NDP leader Andrea Horwath has offered to support this week’s throne speech, but warned she would vote against the budget if it doesn’t include what she wants.
It appears that to survive, Wynne must do Horwath’s bidding, but the premier maintains she will stick to a balanced approach.
She said it is difficult for her to understand how Hudak’s rejection of the throne speech, and his unwillingness to even see the budget before he rejects it, can be considered “a well-thought-out” reaction.
“We are going to put in a budget the things that we believe in, and we will include issues and initiatives that we believe express common ground we can find with the opposition,” she said.
“But if the opposition — either party or both parties — are not willing to work with us, and want to trigger and election, then we are fully prepared to go into an election.”
On the renewed controversy surrounding the closure of the Mississauga and Oakville gas plants at a cost of at least $230 million, Wynne said the investigation of the auditor general as well a legislature select committee should answer all questions.
She vowed that whatever documents the opposition want to see would be made available.
She said it was clear before the decision that the plants were not located in the right place.
Her regret is that the cancellation was not done sooner than in the middle of an election.
But she defended the government’s green energy policy.
“The work we’ve done in terms of creating green renewable energy has been a huge benefit to the province, and will be into the future,” Wynne said.