Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean–Carleton): Exactly seven months ago today, I was elected by the people of Nepean–Carleton to represent them in this place. The day before that I was proud to work for Canada’s new government in Ottawa. As a member of this Legislature, I’m proud to work with my former colleagues in the federal government and Ottawa and with the municipality that I represent. I think working with other levels of government on behalf of the people, for the people, is the right thing to do.

This government clearly disagrees. In a bitter and twisted moment, the Premier referred to three of his former colleagues in this place—my predecessor in fact—as “a recurring nightmare” because they are serving our province and our country in the federal cabinet, doing the job they were elected to do by the people of this province and the people of this country. Not only was the Premier as antagonistic—

Interjections.

Ms. MacLeod: —as his members are right now, but it was a vast departure from his comments after the federal election, when he said, “Well, that was another government at another time in history....”The Premier will say one thing to Ontario’s face, but another behind its back. If he truly wanted to stand up for Ontario, he’d be working with Ministers Baird, Flaherty and Clement like the people expect him to. But instead, day in and day out, the McGuinty model of diplomacy is played out in this Legislature like it is right now. It is polarizing and it is wrong. It pits us against them and it pits Ontario against Canada, and that is not helpful.

Building a partnership with the rest of Canada, including with Canada’s new and I might add honest government, is what’s best for the residents of Ontario. But you know what they say: When you get in trouble at home, you pick a fight with the feds. I hardly call that standing up for Ontario; it sounds more like falling poll numbers.