The opposition day motion from Doug Holyday calling on the government to build a subway and spend an additional $400 million to do it was defeated this evening, 41 to 43. All the present Tory and NDP MPPs voted for the motion, but they weren't able to rally enough votes to best the minority Liberals. Holyday's motion calls on the government to "live by the promises made during the last by-election" and build a longer subway from Kennedy station to Sheppard Avenue, instead of from Kennedy to the Scarborough Town Centre as currently proposed by the Liberals. The debate over the motion saw members of all parties fight over the legacy of former premier Mike Harris and the decision to cancel the Eglinton subway line in 1995.

NDP MPP Rosario Marchese used his time in the debate to rhetorically ask "where are all the good Tories when you need them?" referring to Progressive Conservative governments who heavily funded transit projects at the municipal level.

The Liberal party was represented primarily by its Scarborough members, as well as Eglinton-Lawrence MPP Mike Colle and Transportation Minister Glen Murray who defended the government's proposal.

The text of Holyday's full motion follows:

To recognize that world-class cities build subways;

To recognize that the government voted against building subways for Scarborough last year and only promised a new subway to win a seat in the recent by-elections;

To recognize that the government promised to fund $1.8 billion for subway expansion in Scarborough, only to go back on their commitment with less money and fewer stops, and are now only putting forward $ 1.4 billion.

And that the Legislative Assembly calls upon the Liberal government to live by the promises made during the last by-election, and build a world-class transportation system that includes a Scarborough subway from Kennedy station to Sheppard Avenue and that it be implemented in collaboration with City Council and Metrolinx.

Happening: Holyday subway motion defeated

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