This could prove to be a defining moment in the election for PC Leader Tim Hudak.

He announced a plan to slash 100,000 public sector jobs if he wins the June 12 election.

Hudak said, ”I take no joy in this, but it has to be done if we want job creators to put more people on the payroll in our province.  And if we made these decisions years ago, wouldn’t be so difficult today.  But as you know in your own home, if you sweep something under the carpet, it doesn’t get better.  It’ll often get worse.  We need to act now”.

The Tory leader said it’s part of his efforts to eliminate the deficit by 2016 – a year ahead of the Liberals – and thus pave the way for new jobs in the private sector.

”Vital” services, such as those carried out by nurses, doctors and police would not be affected, according to Hudak, but he admits there would be fewer teachers.

The premier called the plan ”disastrous”.

Kathleen Wynne says, ”he will have to cut and slash deeply into education, into childcare, into health care.  He will have to cut services across the board”.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath also slammed the proposal, ”How does it make sense, when you have an economy that’s struggling, when you have a lot of families already out of work, to say you’re going to throw a whole bunch more families out of work.  It makes no sense whatsoever.  It is wrong-headed”.