TORONTO - The Liberal government was "callous and uncaring" in its response to a question about lengthy delays in surgeries for children at a Hamilton hospital, the opposition parties said Thursday.

During question period, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wanted to know why children are waiting months longer than recommended for surgeries in a new pediatric unit at the McMaster University site of Hamilton Health Sciences.

"Children and their families are waiting 421 days for jaw surgery, 324 days for kidney operations and 282 days for reconstructive surgery (when) the maximum wait should be 182 days," said Horwath.

"What explanation does the government have for parents waiting as long as a year, or in some cases more, for their children to have needed surgery?"

Deputy premier Dwight Duncan angered both opposition parties by responding with a partisan shot at Horwath, who came under fire during the fall election campaign for claiming her son didn't get proper attention at a Hamilton hospital for a fractured elbow.

"It is good to see the leader of the third party standing up for that hospital that she had so attacked in the election," quipped Duncan.

Outside the legislature, Duncan dismissed suggestions he was playing politics with children's health, saying he was quite concerned by the surgery delays, but the New Democrats and Tories said he was out of line.

"I was quite shocked, to be frank," Horwath told reporters.

"I think that Mr. Duncan wanted to play some kind of political game with the health of children."

Former Progressive Conservative health minister Elizabeth Witmer was also taken aback by Duncan's partisan shot at Horwath during debate on such a serious issue.

"I was shocked at the response from the minister today, it was quite callous and uncaring," said Witmer.

"I think they need to take a look at the situation and make sure the appropriate level of funding is provided in order that these little children can get the care that is necessary."

The Ministry of Health said the government is "absolutely committed" to making sure kids can get the surgeries they need as quickly as possible.

"The Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network is working with the hospital to develop a strategy to tackle the wait times at Hamilton Health Sciences," said a ministry statement. "We know how important this is to families."

The ministry also said 82 per cent of pediatric surgeries in the Hamilton-Niagara area are performed within the target of 182 days, compared with 89 per cent provincewide.