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Harper seemed almost gleeful at the chance to criticize Wynne’s “payroll tax hike” and campaign against it in the federal election.

When reporters did not ask him about the plan at a campaign stop Tuesday, Harper left the stage only to return to the microphone to attack Wynne’s plans and federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s promise to help implement them.

He called it an “enormous tax increase” and said he was “delighted” he could throw a wrench in the works.

The Conservative Party was quick to follow up his comments with a press release calling the ORPP a “Justin-Wynne Payroll Tax Hike,” referring to Trudeau’s pledge to not oppose the Ontario plan.

Introducing the new scheme would make Ontario the only province outside Quebec with its own pension plan, and Quebec’s plan is an alternative to the Canada Pension Plan.

It’s unprecedented for a premier to meddle in an election to this extent

Wynne’s moves are “unprecedented” during an election campaign, according to University of Western Ontario assistant professor of political science Rob Leone, who is also a former Ontario PC MPP.

“It’s unprecedented for a premier to meddle in an election to this extent. She’s, frankly, allowing Harper to capitalize on her unpopularity,” he said, adding that could hurt Ontarians’ understanding of the plan in the long-run.

“The ORPP is a complicated sell. Doing so now will confuse voters, who won’t have the benefit of really understanding it.”

In last year’s provincial election, Wynne campaigned heavily against the federal Conservatives, Harper’s opposition to expanding the Canada Pension Plan and on her own ORPP. Now, Harper is keen to turn the tables and the two have, since the start of the election campaign, traded barbs over whether Ottawa should help Queen’s Park implement the plan. The Liberals note this event was in the works well before the writs were drawn up.