Ontario’s Liberal government promised to eliminate the deficit, tackle youth unemployment and improve relations with labour leaders in a throne speech it hopes the opposition can get behind rather than throw the province into another election.

The speech, read by Lt. Gov. David Onley in the legislature Tuesday afternoon, identified three key priorities of the next legislative session: fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and increased employment.

Other priorities highlighted in the throne speech include:

  • maintaining the Dalton McGuinty administration’s pledge to eliminate the deficit by 2017-18.
  • a focus on generating youth employment opportunities.
  • giving both municipalities and their residents more input on infrastructure and energy products.
  • improving relations with labour leaders, a nod to recent acrimony with teachers’ unions that saw imposed contracts and cancelled extracurricular activities.
  • plans to “evaluate corporate tax compliance.”
  • improving access to jobs for people with disabilities.
  • allowing people on social assistance to keep more of their earnings.

The Liberals vowed to work with the opposition, and both the public and private sector to spur economic growth, create jobs and tackle the deficit.

When the books are balanced, the Liberals vowed to keep spending at one per cent below gross domestic product.

It is imperative that Wynne secure opposition support for the throne speech -- a confidence motion the Conservatives and the NDP could use to topple the government and throw Ontario into another election.

“Your government intends to work with opposition parties in a spirit of renewed co-operation to get the people’s business done,” Onley read. “It does not believe that we are irreparably divided.”

The speech included clear calls to all MPPs to not only work together, but to speak out with real ideas rather than just criticize the government.

"Your new government sees a great province that brings together disparate elements and bonds them together as one," Onley read."And your government believes the legislature should work the same way."

Wynne’s administration is expected to balance social liberalism with fiscal conservatism in an effort to maintain her party’s tenuous grip on power.

What remains to be seen is whether NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak are interested in propping up the Liberals.

On Monday, Hudak wrote a letter to Wynne in which he called for “fundamental change” in the Liberal approach to spending, jobs and tackling Ontario’s debt.

"Tuesday's throne speech brings Ontario to a moment of truth," the letter read. "It is a time when we can choose to make those necessary and urgent choices or we can stand by and watch as our province continues to recede from greatness."

Horwath presented a list of asks for Wynne, including a 15 per cent cut to auto insurance premiums, and money to eliminate backlogs and bring in a five-day maximum wait for home care. Horwath also wants corporate tax loopholes closed and has called for a public inquiry into the two gas plants that were cancelled in 2010 and 2011.

Wynne has vowed to establish a committee that will focus only on the gas plant issue, and has promised to testify if she is called.

Also watching the throne speech were the heads of the province’s teachers’ unions, with whom relations have been testy after contracts were imposed following tense negotiations.

With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV Toronto’s Paul Bliss