“It’s something, obviously, that I reject,” the premier said, noting the Liberals have increased hospital funding by 42 per cent since taking office in 2003.

Still, he conceded “these are challenging times,” and did not explain how a government with a record $24.7 billion budget deficit was able to easily find $15 million for a hospital that wasn’t on the radar at Queen’s Park until the Star revealed its woes last week.

Opposition parties accused McGuinty of using taxpayers’ money to win the by-election despite saying provincial coffers are bare.

“Dalton McGuinty has a reputation of saying one thing and doing another,” said Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, referring to the 2003 promise not to raise taxes before imposing a health premium of up to $900 per person.

“It was a completely cynical move by the government, one to literally buy votes for the election,” NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said of the Grace funding, wondering aloud if residents of two eastern Ontario ridings can expect McGuinty to show up with his chequebook before March 4 by-elections.

The question now swirling at Queen’s Park is when and where Murray will land in cabinet, although he denied negotiating a post as a condition for running in the downtown riding held for 10 years by former deputy premier George Smitherman, now a Toronto mayoral candidate.

“The only thing that I know for sure is that I’m about to join the Liberal caucus,” said Murray.

Liberal sources suggest McGuinty could hive off either the ministry of infrastructure or aboriginal affairs into separate departments.

Currently, Brad Duguid runs energy and infrastructure and Attorney General Chris Bentley handles aboriginal affairs, which are onerous duties for both ministers.

But there are a few hurdles to clear first.

“It sends the wrong message to caucus,” cautioned one senior Liberal, noting already-ornery backbenchers could revolt if another rookie gets promoted while many of them have been cooling their heels since 2003. (Citizenship Minister Eric Hoskins, who won St. Paul’s in September, was elevated to cabinet last month.)

“That could tick off a lot of people and would undermine the team-building exercise in Ottawa,” the insider said, pointing to McGuinty’s private Super Bowl party for MPPs on Sunday and Monday’s caucus retreat in the nation’s capital.

“The premier will have hard decisions to make on how to make best use of Glen and all the other caucus members,” said Smitherman.

Another issue is that the premier’s advisers worry the famously verbose Murray “doesn’t stay on message enough” and may not be a pliant team player, says one a source.

“Dalton stresses fealty and kissing the ring and if you aren’t a team player, that’s an issue. Glen was a bit difficult during the campaign and that’s not the team approach the centre (as the premier’s office is known) wants,” the official said.

But other Liberals expect Murray to be appointed to cabinet sooner rather than later – likely after the March 4 by-elections in Ottawa West-Nepean and Leeds-Grenville.

With former Ottawa mayor Bob Chiarelli, a one-time MPP, running in Ottawa West-Nepean, McGuinty will likely opt to bring the two new members into cabinet at the same time.

LINK TO STORY

http://www.thestar.com:80/news/ontario/article/761504–critics-pounce-on-dalton-mcguinty-s-15m-man