UPDATE: Tories Eye Matthews For Documents
Ontario's Tories now have another Liberal minister in their cross-hairs: Health Minister Deb Matthews.
This comes after contempt allegations by the party against Energy Minister Chris Bentley surrounding the release of documents about the Mississauga and Oakville gas plant cancellations.
It's a similar situation to the gas plant documents, with the Progressive Conservatives requesting Matthews release eHealth files, something she was asked to do at a provincial committee meeting in July.
PC MPP Michael Harris says a provincial committee wanted documents pertaining to eHealth released in July but says Matthews responded in the fall, stating the documents couldn't be produced right away. He says one month later the house was prorogued.
When asked if this will lead to a contempt motion, Harris would only say they will continue to push for the documents when the legislature resumes.
In an afternoon statement, the health minister says both the ministery and eHealth are working on committee motions.
"The committee requested a substantial amount of information. I’m pleased to provide it and look forward to working with the new committee when it is reformed in the next session," Matthews wrote.
Matthews says she would be happy to appear at committee again.
In 2009, the province's Auditor General found $1 billion in taxpayer dollars was wasted at eHealth. Former health minister David Caplan resigned from his post because of the spending scandal.
Matthews is also one of the names being tossed around to enter the race for the Liberal leadership.