TORONTO - Controversial farm activist Randy Hillier, who was nominated last Saturday as a Progressive Conservative candidate for the fall Ontario election, is already engaged in a war of words with the Liberal government.

Hillier called Liberal attacks against him "childish'' Monday, while his detractors warned that his nomination marks a return to the divisive days of former Conservative premier Mike Harris.

The former president of the Lanark Landowners Association, who once sent a picture of a dead deer to Liberal cabinet minister Leona Dombrowsky with her name written on the photo, won the Conservative nomination for the eastern Ontario riding of Lanark, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.

Hillier said he hopes to win a seat as an elected politician after campaigning against governments for years.

"I have fought against intrusive government. I have fought against excessive government, where government tries to plan and manage and control every aspect of every day for people,'' Hillier said in an interview.

"We've been successful in challenging that intrusion. However what really needs to happen is legislation has to be changed that empowers government to do those things.''

Health Minister George Smitherman, who is also deputy premier, predicted Monday that Conservative Leader John Tory would come to regret his decision to allow Hillier's nomination as a PC candidate.

"I think that it was a deal with the devil,'' Smitherman told reporters.

"How else can one explain why Mr. John Tory, this modern remake of the centrist Conservative Party, would have the most divisive candidate nominated by a political party in some time?''

Hillier had threatened to run his own slate of independent candidates in some rural ridings if Tory blocked his nomination as a Conservative, something Smitherman said the Opposition leader should have considered if he wants to change the party's image.

"It's an interesting time, that a guy that's working so hard to recreate his brand in the moderate Bill Davis vision has got a guy that makes Mike Harris blush running as a candidate,'' said Smitherman.

"(Hillier) is a hurt machine. Every time he opens his mouth it's to divide up Ontario and to demonstrate some way in which he's distinct from the rest of us.''

Hillier said he expected the Liberals to go after him.

"I'm really disappointed at the calibre of their attack. It's so immature,'' he said.

"Here they're talking about a return to the divisive days of (Mike) Harris, when Harris had a couple of clear majorities.''

Tory defended his newest candidate Monday and dismissed the Liberal attacks.

"Mr. Smitherman, I think he just makes this stuff up,'' Tory said in an interview.

"He's right over the top and I pay no attention to him.''

Tory said he had spoken with Hillier about some of his past tactics, including the dead deer photograph, and said the rural activist agreed he would co-operate with other Conservative candidates.

"He has said he will support that and be a good team member and follow my lead in terms of how we express our views,'' said Tory.

"I welcome the diversity as a means of making sure we can represent the different points of view across the province, but Mr. Hillier's not going to change me. The only deal we have is he signed on to support my leadership and support the policies of the party, which I enunciate, not him.''

The Liberals warned that Hillier would fight to undo clean water and endangered species laws if elected and tried to portray him as so far to the political right that he is out of touch with mainstream Ontario.

"Some of the comments that he's made in the past are hurtful and divisive to multicultural communities, to gay and lesbian people, to people who are living in urban environments,'' said Smitherman.

"I think what's worse is that he usurps the voice of those in rural Ontario who believe that they're as entitled as anyone else to safe water and safe food.''

Hillier admitted he is opposed to government regulations that he feels are intrusive -- including clean water regulations and legislation that protects species at risk -- but said the Liberals shouldn't be resorting to name calling.

"I've always advocated for property rights, for justice, for freedom, and I guess the Liberals find that divisive,'' he said.

"I know Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong may have thought those things were terrible principles to build your government on, but to have the Liberals saying those things are terrible is pretty elementary.''