NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the Tories’ latest non-binding non-confidence motion is nothing more than a gimmick.

While Horwath said the motion to be debated next Wednesday is symbolic at best, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says the fact the New Democrats won’t support the motion is further evidence that Horwath and her caucus will prop up the Liberal government indefinitely.

“It seems like Mr. Hudak simply can’t pass up an opportunity to throw another gimmick out there and show how ineffective he is. It is clear nothing has changed since the last time he threw out one of these salvos . . . but the bottom line is these gimmicks, these games do not a change make,” she told reporters Wednesday.

Legislative rules dictate than a non-confidence motion must have the support of all three parties, which Horwath says makes it virtually impossible to create a situation where the government would fall.

“Mr. Hudak can play all the games he wants. It’s just another gimmick and that’s just the way it is,” she said, adding that it is her job if possible to make the minority government work.

The Tories maintain that about the only Ontarian left who has confidence in the scandal-plagued minority Liberal government is Horwath.

“This latest ($1.1 billion) gas plant scandal tells me the Liberals can no longer be trusted to run the province of Ontario . . . enough is enough. It’s time to draw a line and to say we can do a lot better than this. They can’t be trusted,” said Hudak, who wrote an open letter earlier this week calling Horwath out.

The PC leader said Horwath and her New Democrat MPPs are equally guilty for propping up the Liberals at every turn, including supporting the spring budget, which by its nature is a confidence motion.

“The Liberals corruption stares her in the face each and every day, but every time Andrea Horwath is asked to prop up the government she’s ready, aye ready to do whatever the Liberals want,” he told reporters.

This is the Tories second kick at the can in trying to get a non-confidence motion heard.

Tory House Leader MPP Jim Wilson said, “We are using again every tool we can to bring the government to account and to have the legislature speak on behalf of the people of Ontario.”

“We firmly believe . . . that the House has lost the confidence of the Liberals government, that it doesn’t have the confidence of the representatives of the House or the people of Ontario,” he said.

“We very much hope that the NDP will join us this time and then we will be put moral pressure on the government to call an election.”

Wilson said Tory MPPs are constantly hearing back in their ridings that taxpayers want to “throw the bums out.”

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Tory MPP Lisa MacLeod the “only person that seems to have trust and confidence in Kathleen Wynne is Andrea Horwath” but added the NDP leader doesn’t seem to appreciate the seriousness of the situation.

“Andrea Horwath has a choice,” MacLeod said.

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