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The budget, while staying the course on fiscal restraint to erase the deficit by 2017-18, went beyond Ms. Horwath’s wish list, the Liberals were keen to point out: The government earmarked $295 million over two years for youth employment, which they say will create more than 30,000 job opportunities — that’s $100 million and 5,000 more jobs than the NDP wanted. The Liberals also met the NDP’s ask on social assistance, allowing recipients to keep the first $200 they earn every month.

“This meets the requests the NDP have put forward and we should be working together to get it passed,” Finance Minister Charles Sousa told reporters.

But the Liberals also declined to be “held hostage” to the opposition parties, as Ms. Wynne put it last week.

The Liberals said they will invest $700-million into home care and community services to make it easier to get an assessment, with a “target” of five days — far from the guarantee the NDP demanded.

“We’re concerned that when we asked for guarantees, we didn’t get guarantees,” Ms. Horwath said.

The Liberals also pledged to reduce auto insurance premiums by 15%, just as the NDP asked, but a year after the budget passes, not by the end of 2013,and with a number of other requirements to first crack down on fraudulent claims.

There’s a major push towards improving social assistance — clear NDP territory —by spending $400 million over three years to increase opportunities for social assistance recipients. The Liberals will allow Ontario Works and Disability recipients to keep the first $200 of employment earnings every month before social assistance benefits are reduced. This NDP ask aims to help people find and settle into jobs without losing relied-upon income.