A frustrated Premier Kathleen Wynne says she has had it with NDP Leader Andrea Horwath’s ongoing public rollout of post budget demands.

“It really isn’t helpful to be having to deal with issues one at a time in the press,” Wynne told reporters in Parry Sound Friday, adding she has been trying to speak face-to-face with Horwath for three weeks now.

“I can’t do this in public day after day. We need to have a discussion about what it is she is looking for,” she said,

Earlier Friday, Howarth said Ontario’s ombudsman should be given oversight of hospitals and the health care system following the chemotherapy and ORNGE air ambulance scandals.

In her latest push to wheedle more from Wynne’s spring budget, possibly averting an election, Horwath recycled her ombudsman idea to make the minority Liberal government more accountable.

“Their system of throwing millions at a problem and saying ‘just trust me’ hasn’t produced results,” said Horwath, who wanted a five-day home-care guarantee in a budget packed with NDP ideas but got a five-day target instead.

“We’re not asking for more, we’re just asking for things to be done right.”

Horwath hedged when asked if her latest demand — on top of a $2.5 million-a-year “financial accountability office” — is a deal-breaker as the NDP considers whether to force an election.

“I’m not drawing lines in the sand,” she said, echoing a line used repeatedly last spring when the NDP eventually let the budget pass.

Wynne has said the budget earlier this month met most of the demands the NDP had, but now she is looking for a decision from the New Democrats whether they are going to support the budget or not.

“That’s why I want a meeting,” she said Friday.

“On the merits of the budget as it stands now I would expect their support.”

Wynne said it is difficult to pass judgment until the New Democrat demands — in addition to a handful of conditions set in February, such as lower auto insurance premiums — are on the table.

Horwath said giving Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin oversight of hospitals, ambulance services, community care access centres and nursing homes is long overdue — particularly after the errors made in chemotherapy dosing in the last year.

“Who can a patient call when the health care system has failed them? There is no independent body to hear your call,” she said.

“But when you’re in a jail you can call the Ontario ombudsman. In fact, his number is on the pay phones in corrections facilities,” she added.

“Let’s give seniors and families in Ontario the same right as someone in a corrections facility to an accountable ombudsman.”

Ombudsman Andre Marin has consistently called for oversight — as have previous office holders — of the so-called MUSH sector (Municipalities, Universities, School boards, Hospitals and long-term care homes, as well as children's aid societies and police).

Health Minister Deb Matthews has previously rejected ombudsman oversight of health, saying hospitals and ORNGE have their own staff in that role.

Horwath said she’ll be ready to meet with Wynne after presenting more ideas from NDP public consultations with the public “early next week.”

“It’s not our job to wrap this up in a little gift package with a tiny little bow and make the premier happy, it’s about making sure Ontarians have a say.”

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The Progressive Conservatives have vowed to vote against the budget, leaving Horwath with the balance of power.

Conservative MPP Monte McNaughton (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex) accused her of playing an “expensive game” of making more demands.

“We have to stop this nonsense. For Andrea Horwath and the NDP to come here one day and call the government corrupt, and now they are considering propping up this (Liberal government) is wrong . . . what we need is a change in government.”

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