The following article is a press release by the Leader of the Official Opposition, Mr. John Tory, following Premier Dalton McGuinty’s refusal to answer questions on the accountability of his government to Ontario taxpayers.

(Queen’s Park) – Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory today called on Dalton McGuinty to be accountable about the cost of the ongoing Caledonia situation and the needless redesign of Ontario’s Trillium, the symbol of the province.

“Dalton McGuinty continues to say anything to get elected but refuses to explain his government’s actions,” said Tory. “Dalton McGuinty as the head of government should be able to tell Ontario taxpayers the cost of the 210-day long Caledonia occupation. He can’t and he refuses to tell Ontarians under what guidelines he’s allowing the protestors to continue to stay on government-owned land.”

Dalton McGuinty refused to directly answer Tory’s questions on Caledonia in the Legislature. Tory also asked about the needless redesign of the Ontario Trillium. Again, Dalton McGuinty refused to be accountable to taxpayers and say how much it would cost.

Tory and the PC Caucus have been urging the McGuinty Liberals to scrap the Trillium revamp plan since learning about it in June. They have launched the website www.savethetrillium.ca to stop the waste of taxpayers dollars and allow Ontarians to send emails directly to Dalton McGuinty about his Trillium plans.

Today, an election campaign-style pamphlet by the McGuinty Liberals used the new Trillium logo, its first use other than self-serving McGuinty Liberal television advertisements. The use of the new logo appears to indicate the McGuinty Liberals are going ahead with the logo change.

“Dalton McGuinty likes to talk about progress. The only progress we’re seeing is an increase in the number of McGuinty Liberals broken promises,” said Tory. “Dalton McGuinty promised to respect taxpayers’ dollars. It’s time he started doing exactly that.”