Hudak responds to Wynne lawsuit threat

(Updated) PC leader Tim Hudak is not backing down and continues to allege that Kathleen Wynne was in charge when a non-governmental staffer wiped 24 computer hard drives clean in the premier’s office.

Today at Queen’s Park, Hudak demanded an answer from deputy premier Deb Matthews, since Wynne wasn’t present.

“Taxpayers are entitled to very direct answers to simple, straightforward questions. If you argue that premier Wynne was unaware of what was happening under her watch, when she was in charge, then that shows that she was grossly incompetent and extraordinarily negligent.”

“So either she was complicit or she wilfully looked the other way, neither of which qualify her to be premier of the province of Ontario and get us out of the mess that we’re in. So let ask again the deputy premier, which is it? Was she involved? Or was did she simply, intentionally look the other way?”

Instead of Matthews, government services minister John Milloy answered Hudak.

“The meeting in question between the leader of the opposition and Kathleen Wynne was held in the transition office, not the premier’s office located here in this building. I think it’s time that we get our facts straight.”

“There were documents that were filed in court last Thursday and those documents made it clear that this is an allegation, unproven allegation, against the former chief of staff of Premier McGuinty.”

Yesterday Wynne released an open letter calling Hudak’s allegations about her involvement “false, misleading and defamatory”. She threatened legal action if he did not retract all of the statements. In a news conference this morning Tory energy critic Lisa MacLeod accused Wynne of trying to “muzzle” the opposition, but her party won’t be intimidated.

Additional video: Hudak & PC energy critic Lisa MacLeod respond to Wynne’s threat: