Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty is warning about cuts to health care if the other parties win the provincial election.
After touring the Mount Sinai Hospital maternity ward on Thursday, where he joked about taking home newborn babies, McGuinty announced a new surgical suite for the hospital with 19 operating rooms.
The facility's staff was thrilled at the news, as McGuinty promised to continue to make health care a priority. At the same time, he warned of cuts should the Progressive Conservatives or New Democrats win the election.
Attacking the Progressive Conservatives' record on health care, he reminded those present that the Mike Harris government cut $12.5 million from Mount Sinai's funding per year while in office.
PC MPP for Nepean-Carleton Lisa MacLeod told CTVToronto.ca that McGuinty's reminder of the "Common Sense Revolution" was an attempt to mislead Ontario voters.
MacLeod reiterated the PC party's pledge to boost health spending by $6.1 billion over the first term in government and close the 14 Local Intergrated Health Networks, which Hudak's party has called wasteful spending.
Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, started his day off on TSN Radio, joking about politics being his second choice after giving up his dream of playing pro sports, and tying his economic vision to that of young families trying to afford athletics.
"We need jobs in this province, good jobs," he told the hosts of AM 1050. "I just believe that if people have more money in their pockets to spend on hockey equipment for the kids, home repair, whatever… If people have the confidence to start spending again, that's going to create jobs."
Hudak later travelled to Oakville where he was approached by an activist for Stop the Mega-Quarry.
The group has been demonstrating against Highland Companies' plan to construct an expansive limestone quarry in Shelburn, protesting that the project threatens the area's water tables and destroys prime farm land.
A spokesperson for the group said she wants Hudak to oppose the development instead of simply calling for more environmental assessments.
Hudak said he doesn't approve of the company's plan and supports his local MPP's push for more rigorous environmental assessments.
Earlier in the month, the Liberals said the site on Highway 124 will undergo environmental testing.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath is promising to eliminate wait lists for homecare if she is elected premier. Horwath visited a senior citizen at her home this morning, telling the media that an NDP government would launch a review of home care with the goal of cutting management and administration costs.
Horwath was also on the defensive after suggestions she'd back the Liberals if a minority government was elected. She said Thursday she's going to wait for the election results and then examine how her party can help impose positive change on the province.
The questions came after an interview where she lauded the accomplishments of the NDP-backed Liberal government of the mid-1980s. The latest opinion polls put Horwath's NDP in a very close third place.
Horwath and Hudak both kept their commitments to a minimum on Thursday, in preparation for Friday's debate on northern issues. McGuinty is the only major party leader who declined to attend the Thunder Bay debate.
Horwath told The Canadian Press that McGuinty's absence at the debate will leave people in the region "probably quite angry and insulted."
"People are feeling ignored by the provincial government, they're feeling ignored by the Liberals and they feel that they've been taken for granted," Horwath said.
The premier said his decision to not attend the debate should not be construed as the Liberals snubbing the north. He said his record over the last eight years show a "continuing commitment" to the region.
"It's really important in the context of the debate that we're to have together that we find opportunities to speak to all Ontarians," McGuinty said.
Meanwhile, many of Thursday's other campaign events will focus on health. Nurses in Toronto are hosting a debate on health care Thursday evening in an effort to bolster attention on the issue throughout the rest of the campaign. In Guelph, nurses will host an election health-care information session with similar goals.
With files from the Canadian press
