WALKERTON, Ont. - Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has raised the spectre of the Walkerton water tragedy in the wake of a promise from the Progressive Conservatives to bring in public sector job cuts.
Wynne visited Walkerton today 14 years after the e-coli contamination of the town's water supply, which killed seven people and made thousands sick.
The Liberal leader said she doesn't believe any party leader would ever consciously do anything that would bring about a repeat of the tragedy.
But flanked by water quality students at a treatment facility, she warned Tory leader Tim Hudak's pledge to cut 100,000 public sector jobs is "dangerous" and that "cuts have consequences."
Wynne says Hudak's plan would affect "the monitoring of the water we drink" but refused to say she was suggesting the cuts would lead to another outbreak of water poisoning.
She also declined to answer a question on whether she was using the tragedy in an attempt to score political points.
Hudak was quick to answer when asked the same question while campaigning in London, saying it's "rather sad to see the premier of Ontario trying to take advantage of the tainted water tragedy for political gain."
He added he has no plans to cut water inspectors.
