Horwath Admits NDP is to Blame for Delayed Financial Accountability Officer

Horwath's reversal comes after documents released yesterday revealed the NDP blocked two qualified candidates in April

QUEEN'S PARK, ON, May 4, 2014 /CNW/ - After making the lack of a new Financial Accountability Officer the centrepiece of the NDP's rationale for an election, Andrea Horwath was forced to admit yesterday that the NDP shouldered the blame for stalling the hiring process. 

Horwath admitted the NDP rejected two qualified applicants last month:

"The Liberals were the only ones that supported those candidates," Horwath said at her Hamilton Centre nomination meeting.  (Hamilton Spectator, May 3, 2014)

Horwath's reversal was published after the NDP Campaign issued a press release denying that the NDP stalled the appointment, and after Horwath repeated the false claim in her nomination speech, and during a television interview yesterday. (CBC News Channel, May 3, 2014)

"This is about the credibility of the NDP campaign.  They told Ontarians one thing, but now the NDP has admitted the facts don't support their false claims," said Vaughan MPP Steven Del Duca.  "I know because I was there.  I sat on the all-party hiring committee, I agreed to support either qualified and experienced candidate, but the NDP rejected both at the last minute."

"The NDP was part of the hiring process at every step.  They helped craft the ad, worked with non-partisan civil servants, helped narrow down the applications - then turned around and rejected the two remaining qualified and experienced candidates," said Del Duca.  "The NDP didn't own up to any of this until yesterday." 

"The NDP should debate the facts.  Ontarians deserve better than shameless NDP politicking," concluded Del Duca. 

Read more about the NDP stalling the FAO here: (LINK)

SOURCE: Ontario Liberal Party

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