The provincial Liberals dismiss opposition complaints their candidate in the Scarbrough-Rouge River byelection had an unfair advantage by knowing when the vote would be called.

Piragal Thiru sent out an e-mail Wednesday announcing the date mere minutes before the government’s official news release stating it would be September 1.

The NDP has filed a complaint with Elections Ontario asking for an investigation into it says appears to be collusion between the premier’s office and the Liberal campaign.

Party house leader Gilles Bisson says the only way for the campaign to know the date in advance was to be given the information and he believes that’s ultimately the premier’s responsibility.

Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid says everybody knew a byelection was going to be called and does not see how the New Democrats and Progressive Conservatives can claim the Liberal candidate was given an unfair advantage.

Duguid adds it’s ”hardly a major issue” but says the government does regret it if any convention was violated.