NDP leader Horwath invokes Jack Layton’s name on campaign trail

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

TORONTO — NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is invoking the late Jack Layton in response to a message from Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne that potential New Democrat voters should instead cast their ballots for her party.

Wynne has slammed Horwath for refusing to rule out supporting the Progressive Conservatives in a minority government, saying the NDP is no longer the party of former federal leader Layton, as he would never have contemplated such a coalition.

A day after Wynne’s remarks, Horwath stood in front of a Layton memorial statue in Toronto and said Wynne likes to talk about great NDP leaders “but she cannot even stand in their shadows.

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Horwath says Layton fought the same battle she is fighting today against “Liberal corruption” and “Liberal entitlement.”

But Horwath would still not rule out supporting either the Liberals or Tories if they win a minority government in Thursday’s vote, saying she is running to be premier.

When directly asked if she would prop up either party or try to form a coalition, Horwath said she is going to respect the decision voters make on Thursday, but she “for sure” will not support the Tories’ plan to cut 100,000 public sector jobs, nor will she support “corrupt Liberals.

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