The Liberal incumbent in Vaughan has apologized for a campaign flyer depicting Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak laughing as he walks away from a hospital explosion.

Steven Del Duca made the mea culpa after Conservatives flagged the pamphlet as offensive and demanded a public apology from Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne and her re-election campaign.

“This is beneath them,” deputy Conservative leader Christine Elliott said at Queen’s Park on Wednesday morning as campaigns began their final push to reach voters before the election Thursday.

“It’s actually quite sickening somebody would actually put something like that out to the public. It’s fear-mongering at its worst.”

Del Duca said in a tweet: “Please accept my apology. The flyer was a mistake for which I am sorry.”

There was no further explanation of how the flyer was distributed or who approved it.

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The cover shows Hudak, head tilted back and laughing above the caption “Do you TRUST Tim Hudak and the Ontario PCs with your future?” It’s a parody of the scene with the Joker in the Dark Knight movie.

The flip-side highlights Conservative promises such as cutting 100,000 public sector jobs and says “only Steven Del Duca and the Ontario Liberals will keep delivering positive results for Vaughan.”

Speaking from a Mississauga windows factory, PC Leader Tim Hudak decried the negative turn the campaign has taken. He said Wynne has gone too far in her attacks on him.

“I’ll note Kathleen Wynne began her day yesterday going through a school claiming our plan will hurt children. Then she ended the day with an over-the-top flyer that had a picture of me laughing in front of a hospital that is blowing up. That is way across the line,” he said Wednesday morning.

“The Kathleen Wynne I used to know would never have stooped to that kind of tactic just to cling to power.

“When you go over the top that much just to keep your job it is time to pack it in. You are no longer there for the public interest, you are there for yourself.”

Visiting a school in the NDP-held riding of Toronto-Danforth, Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne said she had not seen the flyer but added “this kind of campaigning is not acceptable.”

Elliott said the flyer is a sign the Liberals are worried they will lose the riding to her party in what is expected to be a close election. A news release from the Conservatives said the flyer was a sign the Liberals have become “unhinged.”

“I don’t think anybody should stoop to this kind of tactic. It’s beneath all of us as politicians.”

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Elliott apologized on behalf of the Conservatives for letters sent to voters in London North Centre, a Liberal riding held by Wynne’s deputy premier and health minister Deb Matthews, with the intent of sending them to the wrong polling stations.

Matthews had complained about the voter suppression attempt on Tuesday.

“It was a mistake . . . it wasn’t something that was done intentionally,” Elliott said.

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