By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday April 30, 2013
Tories launching ‘non-confidence’ vote in bid to topple Liberals
Raising pressure on the NDP to help defeat the minority Liberals over the power plant scandal, the Progressive Conservatives charge the government “bought the last election.”
Tory Leader Tim Hudak launched a long-shot bid to topple Premier Kathleen Wynne’s administration on Monday with a non-confidence motion over the cancelled plants in Oakville and Mississauga.
“If this isn’t corruption then tell me what is?” Hudak said, referring to critics’ estimates that the cost to taxpayers could reach $1 billion for axing both plants to save Liberal seats in the 2011 election.
But it’s unlikely the non-confidence motion — first mentioned by the Tories a week ago — will amount to much because it needs approval from all three parties to go to a vote in the legislature.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath branded it a “political game” and Government House leader John Milloy told reporters “the theatrics are getting a little silly.”
Wynne, who will testify Tuesday before a legislative committee investigating the scrapped power plants, said the opposition will have a chance to vote the government down within weeks.
“There is a big confidence opportunity with the budget and we will be bringing the budget down on Thursday. The opposition can express their confidence or not.”
An auditor’s report found the cost to cancel the Mississauga plant was $275 million — 45 per cent more than the $190 million the Liberals claimed. They have put the cost of cancelling Oakville at just $40 million. (Source: Toronto Star)
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