Wynne says no reduction in size of Ontario public sector if Liberals re-elected

TORONTO – Premier Kathleen Wynne says Ontario’s public sector would be “at least as big” after another four years of Liberal government as it is now, insisting she’ll hire nurses and teachers and still eliminate the $12.5-billion deficit by 2017-18.

Wynne revisited the issue today to clarify a vague “it’s complicated” answer she gave Monday when asked whether the Liberals would cut public sector jobs to balance the books if they’re re-elected on June 12.

She says Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak is the only one planing to cut jobs with his vow to eliminate 100,000 public sector positions over four years.

The Tories call Wynne dishonest, and say there’s no way she can keep her campaign promises without hiking taxes on the middle class or getting rid of the deficit or both.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, meanwhile, says the top issue in the election is the Liberal corruption, especially after the $1.1 billion spent to cancel two gas plants to save Liberal seats in the last election.

Wynne says Horwath knows she’s making false allegations about the Liberal leader’s role in the gas plants scandal, but is “slinging mud” because she can’t justify the NDP’s decision to reject the May 1 budget and trigger the election.