Liberals seek deal before budget day
Approach differs from Mcguinty government, which was forced to amend 2012 budget
Finance Minister Charles Sousa hopes to have a budget deal in place with the opposition to avert an election before he introduces the minority Liberals’ spending plan next month.
In contrast to last year, Sousa and Premier Kathleen Wynne are conducting negotiations on the provincial budget prior to it being tabled, not after.
“I want everybody’s support. We are consulting right across the province. We’re meeting with the other parties as well,” the finance minister told reporters at a prebudget cabinet retreat in an Eaton Centre office tower Friday.
Former premier Dalton McGuinty and his treasurer, Dwight Duncan, were forced to amend the 2012 budget — adding a tax on the wealthy, among other measures — to secure NDP Leader Andrea Horwath’s support.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who opposed Duncan’s plan from the day it was unveiled, has maintained he could not vote for Sousa’s budget either. Hudak has repeatedly warned that the Liberals are not prepared to make the kind of cuts needed to eliminate the $11.9-billion deficit.
While Horwath has again indicated a willingness to work with the Grits, the finance minister isn’t giving up on the Tories to avoid an election that would cost $92 million and come so soon after the October 2011 vote.
“I’m reaching out. I’m reaching out even to the Conservatives and I keep saying to them that the public has no appetite for a general election,” said Sousa.
“There’s no need for us to have this partisan play. Let’s consider what’s in the best interest of the people of Ontario.”
Horwath has put forward what she calls “achievable proposals” — such as a 15-per-cent cut in auto insurance rates and a maximum five-day wait for home-care — as her price for backing the Grits.
“I take the premier at her word when she says she wants to work with the opposition,” Horwath told 150 people in an Empire Club lun- cheon speech Thursday at the Fairmont Royal York. “But words must be backed up with actions,” the NDP leader said. “I’ve made it clear to the premier that the government can’t expect the support of New Democrats unless we see results for people in the coming budget. That’s going to require action.”