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The New Democrats decision to topple the Liberals and force a June 12 election appears to be backfiring, the first poll of the campaign suggests.

While the Progressive Conservatives lead in the Forum Research survey, the Liberals are poised to form another minority government due to the efficiency of their vote.

The poll showed Tim Hudaks Tories at 38 per cent, Kathleen Wynnes Liberals at 33 per cent and Andrea Horwaths New Democrats at 22 per cent. Mike Schreiners Greens came in at 6 per cent.

Its the first poll conducted since Horwath announced Friday that her party could no longer prop up the Liberals and would join the Conservatives in defeating Finance Minister Charles Sousas left-leaning budget tabled the day before.

That forced Wynne to ask Lieutenant-Governor David Onley to dissolve the minority legislature, launching the 41-day election campaign.

I think the Liberals set a trap and the NDP fell into it, Forum president Lorne Bozinoff told the Star on Saturday.

She turned down her dream budget. It doesnt get better than that for New Democrats, said Bozinoff.

Using interactive voice-response phone calls, Forum surveyed 1,845 people across Ontario on Friday and Saturday. The results are considered accurate to within two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Horwath triggered the election just one day after Sousa introduced a budget crafted to appeal to New Democrats and avert a campaign but could also serve as a Liberal platform if need be.

The $130.4-billion fiscal blueprint which was endorsed by many private- and public-sector union leaders included a new Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, modelled on the Canada Pension Plan, to force people to save more.

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Ontario poll: Tories lead but Liberals poised to form government

Local Liberals plan to announce in the next day or so the date of a nomination meeting to choose their Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound candidate for the June 12 provincial election.

Kim Black, president of the areas riding association, said some prospective candidates have been identified.

She said she doesnt think the later start both the Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats already have a candidate in place will impact the Liberals performance locally.

Im still confident that we can do what we need to do, for sure, she said Saturday in an interview.

Black said she is disappointed the NDP announced it would vote against the Liberals 2014 budget, which paved the way for the fall of the government.

She said she thought the Liberals presented a good, forward-thinking budget for Ontario.

Now it will be up to the electorate to decide, she said.

Premier Kathleen Wynne, knowing her minority government would lose the confidence vote, visited Ontario Lt.-Gov. David Onley Friday to ask that Parliament be dissolved. He accepted her recommendation.

The writs are to be signed Wednesday.

Incumbent Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound PC MPP Bill Walker said Friday he and his team are ready to go for the election campaign.

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Local Liberals will soon choose a candidate

Horwath says Ontarians have lost confidence in Liberals and deserve government that makes sense
Andrea Horwath, Leader of Ontario #39;s New Democrats, says she has lost confidence in the Liberal government amid mounting scandal and waste and that it #39;s time ...

By: OntarioNDP Caucus

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Horwath says Ontarians have lost confidence in Liberals and deserve government that makes sense - Video

WINNIPEG -- Manitoba Liberals avoided an internal showdown Saturday by shelving controversial changes to the party's constitution.

Corey Shefman, senior adviser to leader Rana Bokhari, withdrew proposed changes at the party's annual general meeting that critics said would have concentrated power in the party's inner circle.

"It was a recognition that there are different people in the party with different interests and different opinions, and it was a respect for those different opinions," Shefman said afterward.

One change would have reduced the size of the party's board of directors, which includes representatives from all areas of the province and makes decisions alongside the party's executive. Another change would have reduced the minimum number of board meetings each year, to six from eight.

The Liberals, who have just one legislature seat but have shot up in recent opinion polls, are trying to present a united front in the wake of open criticism of Bokhari from a small but very vocal group of members.

An email sent by one board member last week said Bokhari and her team had stopped listening to the party's grassroots and were violating the party's constitution -- accusations Bokhari has denied. The president of one constituency association, Shane Nestruck, made similar accusations and said he is resigning.

Open dissent is nothing new for the Manitoba Liberals. During the 2011 election campaign, one candidate questioned the party's strategy and told reporters the Liberals were in danger of being wiped off the electoral map.

Because of that, some members of the Liberal executive proposed a constitutional amendment Saturday that would forbid members from doing anything to bring the party, the leader or a candidate "into disrepute."

The proposal was narrowly defeated. Some Liberals thought the move would be heavy-handed.

"This may be a chill on free speech. We ought to have the opportunity to say what we really honestly believe," said one member.

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Mba Liberals avoid internal showdown over proposed changes to party constitution

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

By: Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

Saturday, May. 3, 2014 at 9:22 PM | Comments: 0

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Liberals avoided an internal showdown Saturday by shelving controversial changes to the party's constitution.

Corey Shefman, senior adviser to leader Rana Bokhari, withdrew proposed changes at the party's annual general meeting that critics said would have concentrated power in the party's inner circle.

"It was a recognition that there are different people in the party with different interests and different opinions, and it was a respect for those different opinions," Shefman said afterward.

One change would have reduced the size of the party's board of directors, which includes representatives from all areas of the province and makes decisions alongside the party's executive. Another change would have reduced the minimum number of board meetings each year, to six from eight.

The Liberals, who have just one legislature seat but have shot up in recent opinion polls, are trying to present a united front in the wake of open criticism of Bokhari from a small but very vocal group of members. Bokhari was elected leader last October in a three-way race that left some of her opponents' troops bitter.

An email sent by one board member last week to hundreds of Liberals said Bokhari and her team had stopped listening to the party's grassroots and were violating the party's constitution accusations Bokhari has denied. The president of one constituency association, Shane Nestruck, made similar accusations and said he is resigning.

Open dissent is nothing new for the Manitoba Liberals. During the 2011 election campaign, one candidate questioned the party's strategy and told reporters the Liberals were in danger of being wiped off the electoral map.

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Manitoba Liberals dodge internal dispute