Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne doesn't deny possible prorogation

Premier Kathleen Wynne was coy Wednesday when asked by CBC News ifshe was planning on proroguing the legislature, which the oppositionbelieves could be a way to avoid accountability.

The house is scheduled to sit until June 9 before taking a summerbreak, resuming Sept. 12, but the majority Liberal government hasalready passed most of its agenda this session, including enablinglegislation for the partial sale of Hydro One, its sexual violenceand harassment action plan and changes to electoral boundaries.

There are still two major pieces of legislation the budget billand cap-and-trade legislation that have not yet passed, but areexpected to in the near future.

CBC reporter Mike Crawleyasked if she was planning on proroguing once those bills getthrough the legislature.

"There is a lot more work to do in the province, so stay tunedfor how we're going to continue to build this province up," shereplied.

Government House Leader Yasir Naqvi also did not deny that thegovernment is considering prorogation.

"We've got a lot of work ahead of us," he said. "We have avery ambitious legislative agenda. We have some significant bills infront of us and our focus is right now to pass those bills."

Opposition questions motives

The opposition parties suggested the Liberal government mightwant to prorogueto avoid question period.

"They're mired in waste, mismanagement and scandal and I thinkthat's the real reason this government wants to run, but it won't beable to hide from the people of Ontario," said ProgressiveConservative Vic Fedeli.

The government has been on the receiving end of criticism inquestion period for its partial sale and privatization of Hydro One,and more recently changes in the budget to seniors' drug costs thatthe opposition says will leave most seniors in the province payingmore. Wynne has said she will reconsider the changes.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the government "has beeneverything but transparent and open," such as ignoring the publicoutcry to the sale of Hydro One and feedback on budgetconsultations.

"They are simply deciding that they don't have to account toanyone," she said. "This is the place of accounting. This is theplace where the opposition holds the government to account on whatpeople are saying are problems in this province."

There is also growing speculation Wynne will shuffle her cabinetat some point this year, since she has not made any substantivechanges since the 2014 election.

Prorogation can be a standard tool for governments, but formerprime minister Stephen Harper sparked vigorous debate after heprorogued in late 2008, when his minority government faced thespectre of being unseated by an opposition coalition.

In October 2012, after increasing criticism over the costlydecision to cancel the plants, former premier Dalton McGuintyabruptly announced a plan to resign as premier and prorogued thelegislature. It was done to allow for a cooling off period after abitter contempt of parliament debate erupted in the legislature overhis energy minister's refusal to produce all documents related tothe plants.