'We’re not going to be intimidated': Hudak
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TORONTOPremier Kathleen Wynne and Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak are staring each other down in a libel suit stand-off.
Wynne has asked Hudak to issue a public apology for claiming that she oversaw and possibly ordered the criminal destruction of documents in the premier’s office.
She has also demanded that similar allegations posted on the PC party website be removed.
“I think it’s very unfortunate. I did not take legal action lightly. It’s not actually the way I think we should have to interact with one another as politicians,” Wynne told reporters Monday. “We need to be debating matters of fact. And I’m happy to do that.”
The Ontario PCs will not apologize or withdraw remarks made about Wynne in relation to the gas plant scandal, Hudak said.
“We’re not going to be intimidated by a series of angry letters coming from Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals,” he said. “I just wish they spent as much time trying to get our economy going again as they are scrambling behind the scenes with lawyers. I think they’ve got the wrong priorities.”
The escalating legal dispute began with the release on March 27 of an OPP Information to Obtain (ITO), a search warrant application that alleged that a former chief of staff to ex-premier Dalton McGuinty sought access to government computer hard drives that investigators believe were wiped clean.
The OPP are investigating the possible destruction of emails and other records related to the gas plant, and sought the warrant to access 24 hard drives used by staff in McGuinty's office.
Wynne issued an open letter to Hudak and PC MPP Lisa MacLeod demanding they withdraw accusations they made in response to the ITO, and followed up with a lawyer’s letter.
A spokesperson for Wynne said Friday that Hudak was served with a libel notice, but no document was released publicly.